Star Power: the Angelina Effect Sparks Gene Screens
134 views · Published 27 October 2014 · 2:05 · Indexed 20 September 2026
Channel: Lee Health · 2014 · Science & Technology
Her every move generates buzz. But nothing more buzz-worthy than when A-lister Angelina Jolie revealed she had the breast cancer gene. “BRCA 1 is very important for breast and ovarian cancer,” says oncologist Dr. Frank Rodriguez. He is on medical staff of Lee Memorial Health System. This inherited mutation affects the body’s ability to properly repair DNA. The BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 gene greatly increase cancer risk. “In your lifetime you have 60-90% chance of developing breast cancer. It’s certainly significantly higher when you think about the average risk,” Dr. Rodriguez says. In what’s being called the ‘Angelina Effect’, a year after her revelation, the star power is still shining on gene screens. More women are taking charge of their health, especially those with a family history of breast cancer, who are now interested in genetic counseling. “I have had a lot of calls from women after that publicity and I explain to them and ask them questions. Then if they want to come in, we can talk about it,” says Mary Ann Orlang, a genetic counselor with the Regional Cancer Center. “We do a family tree and if there’s a lot of cancers in their family and they meet the criteria I explain to them what the genetic testing is, what it can do, what can we find out,” says Orlang. A blood test detects the presence of BRCA genes. It is generally reserved for high risk patients, including women with a personal history of breast cancer under age 50, a family history of breast or ovarian cancers, male breast cancer in the family tree. Jewish women of eastern European descent also face a higher risk. “If you have a strong family history in Ashkenazi-Jewish decent, then you certainly should consider it. For some reason tend to have a high instance of this particular mutation,” says Dr. Rodriguez. Using star status to help people uncover their health status - finding a genetic cancer link gives families an opportunity to act. View More Health Matters video segments at leememorial.org/healthmatters/ Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries. Visit leememorial.org
