Angelina Jolie Has Double Mastectomy at Beverly Hills Breast Clinic

Beverly Hills' Pink Lotus Breast Center is at the center of a story fascinating the world Tuesday.

In an opinion piece published in the New  York Times, actress Angelina Jolie tells the world she underwent a double mastectomy to stave off breast cancer at the Center.  She says in the piece that she decided to have the procedure affter genetic tests showed she had a 50 percent chance of contracting ovarian cancer and an 87 percent chance of contracting breast cancer.  

Jolie's mother died at 56 of ovarian cancer. According to the article, the procedures at the Pink Lotus Breast Center in Beverly Hills spanned three months and culminated late last month with reconstructive surgery involving implants.  The Center's website is also promising a "behind the scenes" look at the procedures to be published shortly.  Jolie's piece, which first appeared on the Times site late Monday, immediately was shared widely through social media.

It also prompted a response from her partner actor Brad Pitt in Vanity Fair Tuesday morning, who called the decision "heroic." Read the full Vanity Fair piece here. According to City News Service, the chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society issued a statement saying women should consult with their doctors before opting for surgery.

"While only a small number of breast cancers are linked to known genetic risk factors, women facing such a high risk seem to know that, and need to be able to discuss their options with genetic specialists and knowledgeable health professionals so they can have all the information and expertise at their fingertips to do what's right for them,'' Otis W. Brawley said.