Angelina Jolie and ovarian cancer: the facts about screening and surgery

Faced with unreliable screening, many women with a high lifetime risk of cancer opt for preventative surgery, just as Jolie did. But the timing can be crucial

As an A-list Hollywood film-maker, Jolie has few financial constraints on her medical care. Yet, the medical choice she was presented with and the trajectory of her treatment will be familiar to many women treated in NHS clinics. In Britain, those with at least two first-degree relatives who have had breast or ovarian cancer are eligible for genetic screening. Mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes affect only about one in 500 women, but have a dramatic impact on the risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Related: Angelina Jolie reveals she had ovaries removed after cancer scare