Angelina Jolie's surprise announcement last year that she had undergone a preventative double mastectomy has helped double referrals for genetic breast cancer tests.
The actress took the decision after testing positive for the BRCA1 gene mutation, which greatly increases the risk of getting the disease. A new study shows that in June and July last year the number of GP referrals for genetic counselling and DNA tests for breast cancer mutations in the UK increased two-and-a-half times compared with the same period in 2012.
The "Angelina effect" was long-lasting, with referrals remaining at twice the previous year's figure from August to October. But the extra women seeking help were not worrying unnecessarily - most had a family history of breast cancer, meaning they were being appropriately screened. Professor Gareth Evans, from the charity Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention and St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, who led the study published in the journal Breast Cancer Research, said: "Angelina Jolie stating she has a BRCA1 mutation and going on to have a risk-reducing mastectomy is likely to have had a bigger impact than other celebrity announcements, possibly due to her image as a glamorous and strong woman.
INC News, 20/09/2014
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