Angelina Jolie's viral essay published in New York Times caused an increase in the demand for breast and ovarian cancer test, a study has revealed. 

Jolie's talked about her decision to get a double mastectomy in 2013. She revealed that she carried an inherited and defective BRCA1 gene, which made her a potential victim of breast and ovarian cancer. The 41-year-old actress hoped that her take on the rarely discussed medical procedure would help other people suffering from the same fate.

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The Tomb Raider star also suggested that "today it is possible to find out through a blood test whether you are highly susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer, and then take action."

A newly published study in the British Medical Journal revealed that the number of women who had their blood tested for breast and ovarian cancer detection escalated quickly and significantly after Jolie's article.

It is possible that Jolie's writing increased the testing rate by up to 64 percent, according to Harvard Medical School. On the other hand, mastectomy for women who underwent genetic test decreased after the publication of the actress' story. This may mean that tested women do not carry the faulty gene.

Professor Timothy Caulfield said that "the Jolie effect is real" as the cost of genetic tests rose at $13.5 million due to additional demand for 4,500 genetic tests. He added that "people who didn't need to get the test got the test. That didn't necessarily result in this targeted information campaign where people that were genuinely at increased risk and needed this test were getting this."

Healthcare economic Sunita Desai said that the finding is suggestive of the extreme effect of celebrity endorsements. In Jolie's editorial, she said that "only a fraction of breast cancers result from an inherited gene mutation" yet some women who may not be right for the test are also availing it. Jasmin Just of Cancer Research UK said that "while celebrities can help reach a lot of people, they may not necessarily reach the group of people who most need the information."

Breast cancer is the top form of cancer among women in the UK.