Actress Christina Applegate has been open about her recent battle with breast cancer. While the disease was only in one breast, she recently had a double mastectomy and is now cancer-free. It’s a drastic decision, one a local woman also had to make.

At age 36 and with a family history, Applegate underwent genetic testing. The result was positive for the riskiest breast cancer gene, BRCA1. "Her likellihood of having breast cancer on either breast is in the neighborhood of 75-80 percent,” says Dr. Edibaldo Silva, director, of the Creighton University Medical Center Cancer Center.

Dr. Silva says for Applegate, a double mastectomy was smart, but hers is a rare case. Only five percent of breast cancer patients have the genetic mutation.

Thirty-year-old Tricia McSorley is one of them. "I just wanted to know what my options were and how we would face it from here on out so that I could live the longest and healthiest life possible for not only myself, but definitely for my children."

With the same dangerous gene as Applegate, she too made the decision to have a double mastectomy two years ago even though Tricia's never been diagnosed with cancer.

"No regrets. None. Every day I wake up a blessed person for making the decision I did to have the surgery."

A double mastectomy does not end the risk for those with the breast cancer gene. The genetic marker also puts them at a much higher risk for ovarian cancer which is much harder to detect and because of that, often fatal.

“About the age of 40 I will have both of my ovaries removed. I've made that decision,” says McSorley.

It's a decision Applegate will face as well. "I definitely would never wish this upon anyone and I do feel for her and her family for going through the same things that our family has gone through, but it is wonderful she's willing to speak out about it,” says McSorley. By raising awareness she says lives can be saved.

Dr. Silva says genetic testing does not make sense for everyone since only five percent of breast cancer patients have the gene. Younger women, those with a family history, especially males in the family with breast cancer, are good candidates for the test.