Options other than mastectomy include high risk surveillance and risk reduction. Surveillance is a combination of monthly self breast exam, annual mammography and whole breast screening ultrasound, annual breast MRI, and biannual clinical breast exam.

Risk reduction for BRCA2 carriers includes taking tamoxifen. Removing ovaries prior to age 40 drops breast cancer risk in half. Ovarian cancer surveillance is unfortunately inadequate at early detection, but birth control pills reduce ovarian cancer incidence up to 60%.

About 80% of women diagnosed with breast cancer do not have a single relative with breast cancer.

Our goal is to increase awareness about non-narcotic pain control options available before, during, and after surgical procedures that are so effective that needing narcotics postoperatively is dramatically reduced or even eliminated.

Nearly every BRCA mutation carrier's main concern is how to avoid the fate of relatives who have had, and possibly died from, breast or ovarian cancer.

The Angelina Effect refers to the fact that a powerful, beautiful, well-respected and world-renowned woman unabashedly revealed private medical details about a gene mutation which affects 1 in 500 people. In so doing, she raised awareness and sparked conversations around the world amongst known BRCA carriers, possible carriers, and the circle of family and friends who care about them.

The most surprising fact that people do not know about breast cancer is that about 80% of women diagnosed with breast cancer do not have a single relative with breast cancer. Much more than just family history and inherited genes factor into the breast cancer equation.