Letter

Celebrity's death from cancer resulted in increased calls to CancerBACUP

BMJ 1998; 317 doi: 10.1136/bmj.317.7164.1016 (Published 10 October 1998)
Cite this as: BMJ 1998;317:1016.1

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  1. Markella Boudioni (mboudioni@cancerbacup.org), Research officer,
  2. Jean Mossman, Chief executive,
  3. Alison L Jones, Consultant oncologist,
  4. Geraldine Leydon, Research fellow,
  5. Klim McPherson, Professor of Public Health Epidemiology
  1. CancerBACUP, London EC2A 3DR
  2. Department of Clinical Oncology, Royal Free Hospital, London NW3 2QG
  3. Cancer and Public Health Unit, Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT

    EDITOR—It is known that a patient with cancer can be influenced in her choice of treatment by the choice made by a famous person with the same disease. When Nancy Reagan, the wife of the then American president, chose a mastectomy in 1987, there was a subsequent 25% decrease in the number of women choosing breast conserving surgery. 1 2 A celebrity's death can have a similar powerful effect. The death of Diana, Princess of Wales, resulted in unprecedented public and media response. 3 4 The death of Linda McCartney in April has also …

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