CANCER charities have welcomed the decision by Hollywood star Angelina Jolie to reveal she has had a double mastectomy to prevent breast cancer.

The actress and director said she had the procedure after tests showed she was carrying a faulty version of the BRCA1 gene that greatly increased her risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer.

Cancer charities hailed her decision to talk about the surgery, which they said would highlight the issue of preventative surgery and encourage women to find support.

Doctors estimated Jolie, whose mother died of ovarian cancer aged 56, had an 87% risk of breast cancer and a 50% risk of ovarian cancer, but following surgery her chance of developing breast cancer has dropped to less than 5%.

In an article in The New York Times, Jolie, 37, wrote: "I wanted to write this to tell other women the decision to have a mastectomy was not easy. But it is one I am very happy I made.

"I can tell my children they don't need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer."

She added she wanted to encourage every woman with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer to seek out information on their options and speak to medical experts.

Jolie also paid tribute to her partner, the actor Brad Pitt, whom she described as "so loving and supportive", saying he was with her for "every minute of the surgeries".

She added: "We managed to find moments to laugh together. We knew this was the right thing to do for our family and that it would bring us closer. And it has."

Emma Pennery, clinical director at charity Breast Cancer Care, said: "Angelina's experience will resonate with the many women we support each day.

"We welcome Angelina's comments which highlight this important issue and encourage women in a similar situation to find support."

James Jopling, director for Scotland at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, added: "Although Angelina decided a preventative mastectomy was the right choice for her, this may not be the case for another woman in a similar situation. We urge anyone who is worried about their risk of breast cancer to talk it through with their doctor."

Everyone has the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, but where they are "faulty" – with certain mutations – they are associated with a higher risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

Less than 1% of the general population carry the faulty genes and only 5% of breast cancer patients have them. People who have a strong family history of breast cancer – such as an unusually high number of family members on one side who have had the disease are – advised to speak to their doctor.

Dr Jo Morris, a senior lecturer in the School of Cancer Sciences at Birmingham University, said the risk varied between such women because some also inherited "modulating" genes alongside the faulty BRCA1 gene, which could inhibit the risk.

Liberty X singer Michelle Heaton, who underwent a double mastectomy last year, said Jolie's decision to publicise her surgery was "incredibly important" in raising awareness and giving encouragement to women in a similar situation.

Former X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne revealed last November she had undergone the same operation.

Jolie hinted she might take action in future to tackle her elevated risk of ovarian cancer. She said: "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."

Dr Sharon Tate, of the charity Target Ovarian Cancer, said the removal of the ovaries and Fallopian tubes was one option for such patients, a procedure which almost eliminates the chance of ovarian cancer. Removing the hormone-producing ovaries also reduced the breast cancer risk by around 50%.

Ovary removal had major implications for women of child-bearing age, however, and also brought on immediate menopausal symptoms. Alternatives included going on the combined contraceptive pill, known to reduce the chance of developing ovarian cancer, but she advised any woman who thought she could be at increased risk of the disease to talk through her options with a specialist.