Angelina Jolie, 50, Shares the Scars Behind Her Preventive Mastectomy and a Message of Resilience: ‘Hardships, Illnesses, & Pain Are Part Of Out Existence, But What Matters Is How We Face Them’

She told TIME France, “I share these scars with many women I love. And I’m always moved when I see other women share theirs.

“I wanted to join them, knowing that TIME France would be sharing information about breast health, prevention, and knowledge about breast cancer.”

Jolie is pictured on the cover of TIME France’s December 2025 magazine, drawing gentle attention to the scar on her chest, underneath her hand. Sporting a somber look and a black top, Jolie is seen cupping one of her breasts, covering the scar.

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Jolie, discussing her role as filmmaker Maxine Walker in Alice Winocour’s “Couture,” set to release in France in February 2026, highlighted her admiration for Winocour’s work and applauded the director’s unique approach to portraying illness.

“Too often, films about women’s trials—especially cancer—speak of endings and sadness, rarely of life,” Jolie said. “Alice made a film about life, and that’s precisely why the sensitive subjects it addresses are treated with such delicacy.”

She continued, “Trials, illnesses, pain are part of our existence, but what matters is how we face them. For me, and for so many women who have lived through this, it was essential to remember that what helps us get through these moments is life itself.

“My mother was ill for years. One evening, when she was being asked about her chemotherapy, very moved, she told me she would have preferred to be asked about something else—she felt the illness was becoming her entire identity. I love this film because it tells far more than the journey of a sick person: it shows life. It was this luminous perspective that touched me and made me want to play this role.”

Jolie, who admitted she seldom wears a bracelet holding her mother’s ashes to avoid losing it, highlighted to the magazine the crucial role of early detection.

She stressed that women should have the knowledge and freedom to make informed choices about their own health.

“Genetic testing and screening should be accessible and affordable for women with clear risk factors or significant family histories. When I shared my experience in 2013, it was to encourage informed decision-making,” she told TIME France.

“Health choices must be personal, and women should have the knowledge and support to make them. Access to screening and care should not depend on financial resources or location.”

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The Jolie Effect

Angelina Jolie played a key role in raising awareness about BRCA genetic testing in 2013 when she revealed in a New York Times op-ed that she carried the BRCA1 mutation, which significantly increased her breast cancer risk to 87% and her ovarian cancer risk to 50%.

“Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much (as) I could,” Jolie writes.

“I made a decision to have a preventive double mastectomy (removal of both breasts). I started with the breasts, as my risk of breast cancer is higher than my risk of ovarian cancer, and the surgery is more complex.”

She continued, “I am writing about it now because I hope that other women can benefit from my experience. Cancer is still a word that strikes fear into people’s hearts, producing a deep sense of powerlessness.

“But today, it is possible to find out through a blood test whether you are highly susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer, and then take action.”

Jolie ultimately decided to have her breasts and ovaries removed following the death of her mother, who had battled breast and ovarian cancers.

Her 2013 op-ed led to what has been called the “Angelina Jolie Effect” or the “Jolie gene” phenomenon, igniting a surge in BRCA gene testing, a test developed to identify women at highest risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer due to mutations in the BRCA gene.

As per a 2016 Harvard Medical School report, “Researchers estimated that in the span of two weeks, the op-ed may have precipitated 4,500 more BRCA tests than would have normally occurred during that time period nationally at a price tag of $13.5 million.”

Learning More About Breast Risk Assessment & Genetic Testing

The Breast Cancer Risk Assessment, which actress Olivia Munn and journalist Alison Hall have credited for catching their breast cancer, is a “statistical model that allows healthcare professionals to calculate the probability of a woman developing breast cancer over the course of their lifetime,” Dr. Ruth Oratz, breast medical oncologist, NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center; clinical professor of medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine explained to SurvivorNet.

Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer: What is This Type of Test? And What Do My Results Mean?

As for genetic testing, it can be as simple as a simple saliva swab or blood sample. The results help your care team determine if you have a specific mutation that puts you at higher risk for cancer. Additionally, genetic testing aids doctors in tailoring your specific treatment, therefore very helpful for breast cancer patients.

BRCA Gene Mutations

The BRCA1 (which Angelina Jolie has) and BRCA2 gene mutations, which are among the most important genes to look for in breast cancer.

How Testing For BRCA In Breast Cancer Works

Together, they are responsible for about half of all hereditary breast cancers. These genes prevent cells from dividing haphazardly and uncontrollably in a person without mutations. Mutations prevent these genes from doing their job and can allow unchecked growth of breast, ovarian, and other tissues.

Dr. Oratz says if the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment finds that a woman is at higher risk of getting breast cancer, she should expect further testing and screening. However, if a woman is positive for the BRCA gene mutation, a Breast Cancer Risk Assessment “is not really accurate.”

What Is a BRCA Mutation?

“Having information empowers patients,” Dr. Oratz added. “It is very important for people to be aware of the health risks, their family history, and their own personal medical conditions. All of these things can affect the risk of developing cancer.”

According to the National Cancer Institute, about “13% of women” in the general population will develop breast cancer sometime during their lives. By contrast, 55% to 72% of women who inherit a harmful BRCA1 or BRACA2 variant will develop breast cancer by 70 to 80 years of age.

Between 5% and 10% of breast cancer cases are thought to be hereditary. And about 10% of patients who undergo genetic testing will test positive for the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, Dr. Julie Rani Nangia, an assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine, previously told SurvivorNet.

“The genetic BRCA1 and (BRCA)2 mutations, if a woman has one of these mutations … it puts her at basically the highest quantifiable risk for getting breast cancer,” Dr. Elisa Port, a surgical oncologist at Mount Sinai, also told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.

“We typically say between the 60 (percent) and 80 percent range. Having a BRCA1 and (BRCA)2 mutation also means that that person is at higher risk of getting breast cancer at an earlier age, and also maybe at risk for other cancers like ovarian cancer, like pancreatic cancer for men, prostate cancer and male breast cancer may be a concern.”

Since the discovery of the BRCA mutations in the 1990s, doctors have gone on to identify many other gene mutations that put people at a higher risk of developing breast cancer.

“There’s actually eight to 10 genes that also can put someone at a higher risk for breast cancer,” Dr. Port says, adding that usually that risk isn’t as high as the BRCA mutations. These additional gene mutations include PALB2, ATM, TP53, CHEK2, PTEN, CDH1 and STK11.

Should I Get Genetic Testing to Assess My Risk for Breast Cancer?

“We call them more moderate penetrance genes and those genes, the risk of breast cancer associated with them can be anywhere from say 20 percent to 50 percent. … so still very high, but lower than the BRCA genes that were the ones we originally described.”

The PALB2 gene is a “moderate penetrance gene, and the risk of getting breast cancer with PALB2 can be a pretty broad range,” Dr. Port says. “And unlike the BRCA genes where we don’t really use the family history of who got breast cancer to affect the risk estimates, with PALB2, you really can dial up risk or dial down risk depending on how many relatives and the age of the relatives in the family got breast cancer.”

Limitations of Genetic Testing

Like anything in life, there are limitations to genetic testing for breast cancer, specifically the commercially available tests women can take. One of the most common types of commercially available tests is from 23andMe, a genomics and biotechnology company, as well as tellmeGen and MyHeritage genetic tests.

“There’s only a cadre of them that are approved and accurate and there can be both false positives and false negatives, so it really depends,” Dr. Port says. “If someone is suspicious of having one of these genes (mutations) and gets tested through one of what we call the direct to consumer type tests, it is important that those testing results may need to be verified before doing something irreversible based on those results.”

In other words, if you take one of these tests without your doctor’s knowledge, and you receive some concerning results, make sure you discuss those results with your doctor before taking your next steps.

The other limitation to genetic testing is genetic counseling. Dr. Port says this is the most critical part of genetic testing. What does genetic counseling mean? Well, if you get a positive result back, how are you going to cope with that news?

“If someone gets a genetic test result back, it’s really important for them to know what is this? (What does this) mean for them? Put it into context.”

“What does it mean for their family members? For their relatives? Genetic counseling to follow up genetic testing is a really, really important part of the whole process and is not always available in the direct to consumer type avenue.”

Based on your personal and family health history, your doctor can refer you for genetic counseling, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What to Consider When Weighing Preventive Mastectomy?

A prophylactic, or preventive, mastectomy is a surgical procedure that removes breast tissue to reduce the risk of developing cancer in the future.

“Risk-reducing mastectomies are an operation where we take women at, usually, very high-risk for getting breast cancer for genetic mutation carriers, who are the ones at the highest risk; there’s unfortunately only one way to actually prevent breast cancer,” Dr. Elisa Port, Chief of Breast Surgery at Mount Sinai Health System, previously told SurvivorNet.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommends testing only select patients with risk factors for hereditary breast cancer. These include but are not limited to patients who were younger than 45 years old when they were diagnosed with breast cancer, those with a strong family history of this cancer, and those with Ashkenazi Jewish heritage. The American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS) recommends offering genetic testing for all patients diagnosed with breast cancer.

Questions To Ask Your Doctor

• What preventive surgery options exist, such as mastectomy or removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes?
• How effective is each procedure at lowering cancer risk, and what are the limitations?
• What possible risks, side effects, or long-term complications should I be aware of?
• How might this surgery impact my body, hormone levels, or ability to have children?
• What is the expected recovery period, and what changes to my daily routine or lifestyle should I anticipate?
• Are there less invasive or non-surgical options for lowering my cancer risk?
• How frequently will I need medical check-ups or monitoring after the procedure?
• Will my health insurance cover the cost of genetic testing or preventive surgery?

All About Breast Cancer Screenings

The medical community has a consensus that women between 45 and 54 have annual mammograms. However, an independent panel of experts called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is saying that women should start getting mammograms every other year at the age of 40, suggesting that this lowered the age for breast cancer screening could save 19% more lives.

WATCH: Screening for Breast Cancer

For women aged 55 and older, the American Cancer Society recommends getting a mammogram every other year. However, women in this age group who want added reassurance can still get annual mammograms.

Women who have a strong family history of breast cancer, have dense breasts, have a genetic mutation known to increase the risk of breast cancer, such as a BRCA gene mutation, or a medical history, including chest radiation therapy before age 30, are considered at higher risk for breast cancer.

Experiencing menstruation at an early age (before 12) or having dense breasts can also put you into a high-risk category. If you are at a higher risk for developing breast cancer, you should begin screening earlier.

Breast density is determined through mammograms. However, women with dense breasts are at a higher risk for developing breast cancer because dense breast tissue can mask potential cancer during screening. 3D mammograms, breast ultrasound, breast MRI, and molecular breast imaging are options for women with dense breasts for a more precise screening. It is important to ask your doctor about your breast density and cancer risk.

Although breast cancer can happen to anyone, certain factors can increase a person’s risk of getting the disease. The known risk factors for breast cancer include:

• Older age
• Having a gene mutation such as the BRCA1 or BRCA2
• Added exposure to estrogen
• Having children after the age of 30
• Exposure to radiation early in life
• Family history of the disease

About ten percent of breast cancers are hereditary, says Dr. Ophira Ginsburg, Director of the High-Risk Cancer Program at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center.

“We encourage only those who have a family history to really get [genetic testing],” Dr. Ginsburg previously told SurvivorNet.

“I would say that if you have anyone in your family who was diagnosed with a very rare cancer. Or if you have a strong family history of one or two kinds of cancer, particularly breast and ovarian, but also colon, rectal, uterine, and ovarian cancer, that goes together in another cancer syndrome called the Lynch Syndrome,” Dr. Ginsburg adds.

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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