Grammy-Winning Singer & Breast Cancer Survivor Sheryl Crow, 63, Urges Genetic Testing: ‘It’s How You Advocate For Yourself’

“It only takes literally 30 minutes to go in, and it could be something that changes the trajectory of your life. Take care of yourself, put yourself first, and go and do the yearly exam,” Crow adds.

Crow’s cancer journey began before she became a mom to sons Levi, 15, and Steve, 18. Known for her breakout 1993 album “Tuesday Night Music Club” and its iconic hit “All I Wanna Do,” Crow has long blended artistry with advocacy.

Her call for genetic testing echoes similar public health efforts by actress Angelina Jolie, who in 2013 revealed she carried the BRCA gene mutation and underwent preventive surgery to reduce her cancer risk.

Jolie penned an op-ed in The New York Times revealing she had the BRCA1 gene mutation. In her memorable piece, she noted the gene mutation increased her risk of breast cancer by an estimated 87% and her risk of ovarian cancer by 50%.

Several genetic changes or mutations exist that are associated with ovarian cancer. The BRCA set of genes, BRCA 1 and 2, is among the most common.

The BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations typically help regulate cell growth, but when mutated, they fail to control unchecked tissue expansion, increasing the risk of breast, ovarian, and other cancers.

“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,” Jolie added.

According to research conducted by Harvard Medical School, Jolie’s influential words led roughly 9 million women to get the same kind of genetic testing she did to find the BRCA gene mutation. This spike in genetic testing for breast cancer has been dubbed the “Angelina Jolie” effect.

The researchers at Harvard Medical examined insurance database records of women between 18 and 64 and noticed a “64-percent” increase in genetic testing for breast cancer in the two weeks following Jolie’s op-ed. The researchers did not observe a spike in testing in the same time frame for the previous year.

Understanding Genetic Testing

Genetic testing for cancer is usually done in a doctor’s office (either your primary care doctor or an OB-GYN), but a few tests are available for people to purchase commercially.

“It started out with a very narrow field of women and men who were recommended to have it based on certain risk factors, family history of breast cancer, or other cancers, and also ethnic backgrounds,” Dr. Elisa Port, a surgical oncologist at Mount Sinai, 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.

What If You Have the BRCA Gene Mutation?

If you discover that you do have a mutation, there are options available to manage your cancer risk, which include enhanced screenings; prophylactic (risk-reducing) surgery, which involves removing as much of the “at-risk” tissue as possible; and chemoprevention, the use of medicines to reduce the risk of cancer.

WATCH: Understanding the BRCA Gene Mutation

If you do discover you have ovarian cancer, it actually can be advantageous to have a BRCA mutation, as long as you are being treated with a PARP inhibitor, a drug therapy that was developed and approved by the FDA beginning in 2014. PARP inhibitors work by blocking the protein PARP from repairing the damaged DNA that can lead to cancer. These inhibitors kill the dangerous cells but leave the healthy ones intact, which is exactly what you want to happen.

“The PARP inhibitor prevents the repair of the (damaged) single-strand DNA break, and your BRCA mutation prevents the repair of the double-strand DNA break,” Dr. Rebecca Arend, Associate Scientist at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, explains to SurvivorNet.

The Missed Mammogram That Changed Everything

Before her breast cancer diagnosis, Sheryl Crow described herself as healthy, athletic, and immersed in a fast-paced career. She also felt that mammograms were unnecessary. “I’m fine, I’m healthy, why don’t I just skip it?” Crow shared at a Stand Up to Cancer event with WKRN News.

However, skipping that routine screening led to a wake-up call. When Crow did get her mammogram to screen for breast cancer, she was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in her left breast.

WATCH: When Should I Get a Mammogram

For treatment, she underwent a lumpectomy, a procedure that removes the cancerous area of the breast. Then she received seven weeks of radiation therapy. Today, she’s in remission—and a passionate advocate for early detection.

Looking back, Crow acknowledges how easily she dismissed the possibility of cancer. “It never occurred to me that the mammogram would find anything because I have no family history and I had no signs of it, no lumps or anything like that… and I was extremely, and still am, very healthy, very athletic, and fit. I just didn’t think I would be a candidate at all,” she told People Magazine.

That experience reshaped her perspective—and her purpose. She now uses her platform to encourage others not to delay screenings, especially mammograms. “I feel compelled to go out and give that message,” she said.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

If you’re facing the option of having a mastectomy, here are some questions to consider asking your doctor:

• What can I do to prepare for a double mastectomy?
• What happens before and after the procedure?
• For reconstruction, what are the benefits of using implants over my own tissue and vice versa?
• What should I know about implants? Should I opt for preventative surgery?
• What will recovery look like after the procedure?
• What are the benefits of a watch & wait approach vs. preventative surgery?
• What kind of surveillance is required after the surgery?

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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