Stage 3 Cancer: Definition, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prognosis

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'Here's How I Knew I Had Anal Cancer': One Patient's Story With A Connection To HPV

Conversations and awareness about cancer nowadays have reached an all-time high, yet some forms, including anal cancer, still don't receive the attention they deserve. Often, anal cancer may be confused with the more familiar colorectal cancer, given its position at the very end of the digestive tract.

While discussing issues related to anything "down there" might feel awkward, it's essential to understand what anal cancer is, including its risk factors and symptoms. After all, the anus plays a pivotal role in our body's waste elimination process (better known as pooping), making it an area we cannot afford to ignore, with this condition projected to affect 10,540 Americans in 2024.

Van Morris, MD, an MD Anderson Cancer Center physician, said in a March 2024 article: "Anal cancer is a completely different disease with a different biology [in regards to colorectal cancer]. It's also treated differently."

When anal cancer is localized and hasn't spread, the standard treatment is the Nigro protocol, a chemoradiation regimen that has been around since the 1970s that merges the chemotherapy drugs 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin with radiation therapy.

According to Dr. Morris, anal cancers are typically squamous cell carcinomas arising from the skin's inner layers and primarily attributed to HPV (human papillomavirus) infection. Over 150 HPV types exist (in fact, the age limit for the HPV vaccine has been increased to cover far more adults in recent years). In particular, HPV-16 is one strain significantly increasing anal cancer risk.

Though HPV is often transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, including sexual activities (vaginal, anal, or oral), not everyone with HPV will develop anal cancer—nor has everyone who develops anal cancer engaged in these specific activities. Further, you may already be familiar with HPV in connection to cervical cancer; in fact, women who have experienced cervical cancer face a higher risk of developing anal cancer.

Other risk factors for anal cancer to be aware of include:

Presence of anal warts

A history of cancer not only in the cervix, but in the vagina or vulva

HIV (human immunodeficiency infection) or conditions that weaken the immune system

Smoking

Sexual behaviors, such as having had numerous partners, which can heighten the risk of HIV and HPV infections; and engaging in receptive anal sex, which raises the risk for both men and women. It's important to note, however, that anal cancer does not solely result from sexual behavior, and cases can occur without these risk factors

Recognizing the symptoms of anal cancer is critical

The symptoms of anal cancer can often resemble those of less serious conditions, such as hemorrhoids, making it challenging to diagnose early. Key symptoms of anal cancer include:

Rectal bleeding

Anal itching

A lump or mass at the anal opening

Pain or a feeling of fullness in the anal area

Abnormal discharge from the anus

If you experience any of these anal cancer symptoms, it's essential to consult a healthcare provider for a thorough evaluation.

Beyond understanding the facts about anal cancer, it's helpful to gain perspective from those who have personally navigated through it.

Ahead, you'll learn about Becky A., a 48-year-old woman from Columbus, OH, who survived Stage 3 anal cancer with the Nigro protocol. Despite initially feeling uneasy about the location of her cancer, Becky embraced a positive outlook that she felt played a significant role in her healing process.

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Here's how I knew I had anal cancer: One survivor's story

By Becky A., as told to Dr. Patricia Varacallo, DO

I eat well, stay active, and always keep up with my yearly medical check-ups. So, when I began to notice some itching and bleeding "down there," I initially didn't give it much thought. Having dealt with hemorrhoids in the past, I assumed it was the same issue reoccurring.

During a routine appointment in January 2021, I brought it up with my primary care physician, who didn't seem overly concerned. "It's probably just hemorrhoids," she suggested, advising me to try some over-the-counter remedies and warm baths, and to return if there was no improvement.

Following her advice, I tried to manage the symptoms…but three months later, there was no relief. On the contrary, the symptoms had intensified. The bleeding became more frequent, and I discovered a tender lump. That was the moment I realized something was seriously wrong.

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An anal cancer diagnosis

Reaching a point of frustration, I decided to proactively schedule a visit with a gastroenterologist: A decision I am immensely grateful for today. Upon examining me, he immediately expressed concern that what I presented with didn't resemble a typical hemorrhoid. He conducted an anoscopy—a procedure where a scope is used to inspect the anus and lower rectum—and I could see his concern. He suggested a biopsy, a step I was more than ready to take.

One week after the biopsy, I received a call that quite literally changed my life: I had Stage 3A anal cancer related to HPV-16. I was floored. The CT scan I had gotten revealed that the cancer had spread to my groin's lymph nodes.

Cancer? In that area? The very idea of anal cancer was completely new to me.

Looking back, I remembered a diagnosis of cervical dysplasia in my twenties, which is a change in cells on the cervix that my gynecologist had mentioned was linked to HPV. At the time, the full significance couldn't have sunk in. Reflecting now, and knowing the link between HPV-16 and anal cancer, I can't help but ponder whether the HPV vaccine could have averted this entire ordeal.

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Treatment after I knew I had anal cancer

I opted for treatment at a local center just outside Columbus, where I felt exceptionally at ease with my healthcare team. They assured me I was receiving the gold standard of care.

By the end of May 2021, I had a port installed to begin my treatment regimen, which included six weeks of radiation therapy paired with chemotherapy. The focus of the radiation was my pelvic area, requiring my presence at the clinic five days a week.

The aftermath was tough: I faced extreme tiredness, nausea, and incredibly painful skin irritation—imagine the worst possible sunburn in the most unimaginable of places. Adapting to these circumstances, I found myself wearing a diaper, but surprisingly, this experience brought a new attitude out of me. There's a unique kind of humor that some sickness gives you the chance to develop, especially considering the rather awkward positions you find yourself in during radiation treatments.

My chemotherapy involved two medications, 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and mitomycin. Mitomycin was administered via injection on the first day, followed by a 5FU infusion lasting several days that continued even at home. During the fifth week of radiotherapy, I underwent another round of 5FU infusion.

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My advice for anyone going through a similar trial

After completing the six-week course of chemoradiation, I finally allowed myself some much-needed downtime, and the burns actually healed within a month. The anticipation for the results from my follow-up scans was overwhelming. Hearing my doctor announce the absence of any disease prompted tears of immense relief.

I've since undergone CT and MRI scans every six months, along with anoscopy and digital rectal exams every three months. Thankfully, all results have been clear thus far.

I also want to spread awareness of the connection between HPV and anal cancer, and the importance of getting the HPV vaccine—the vaccine works by triggering the body's immune response to prevent future HPV infections. It's recommended for preteens but can be administered to individuals up to 26 years old, with certain recommendations extending to age 45 under specific conditions.

To those reading this, I urge you not to overlook any suspicious symptoms. Additionally, discuss your eligibility for the HPV vaccine with your doctor. It could very well be a lifesaver.

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Self-examination Is Key To Finding Testicular Cancer

If a man notices a lump or swelling in his testicles, the worst thing he can do is think, "Maybe it will go away." That lump is a warning sign that could save his life.

"I'm grateful for this opportunity to discuss a subject that I know is not often discussed but is important, especially given the age group that this impacts," said Dr. Dhwani Yogesh Pandya, Hematology and Medical Oncology at Geisinger. "We always recommend that men and women in general talk with their family to learn about family history of cancer. And if something is being shared by your body, listen to it."

According to the American Cancer Society, the average age of a man diagnosed with testicular cancer is 33. Symptoms are a solid, firm mass within the testes or painless swelling of one testis, Pandya said.

"Typically a lot of men will notice it when they're showering, and that should be a concerning sign that should lead to a further discussion with their doctor," he said.

There is no established screening for testicular cancers, but men should examine themselves at least monthly for lumps or any abnormality, said Dr. Abdalla Sholi, medical director of Medical Oncology at UPMC Hillman Cancer Centers in Coudersport, Wellsboro and Williamsport.

"They need to become familiar with their own testicles because if you don't know how your testicle feels, you're not going to know if there's a new lump or not," he said.

While most lumps are painless, some can present with pain.

"So if you notice a lump in your testicles or you notice that your testicle is swollen or out of nowhere is starting to hurt, or if you develop more advanced symptoms like lower abdominal pain or abdominal tension or you're short of breath, those things you need to bring to your doctor immediately where an examination can happen, and hopefully it can be found early enough and be managed after that," Sholi said.

Testicular cancer in the United States is not very common, with about 10,000 cases annually, Sholi said. Luckily, most are found in an early stage because a lump in the testicles is kind of hard to ignore. The examination should not hurt.

"It's a very sensitive area. A lot of people are very squeamish about people touching it, but the benefit from early detection is, thank God, huge," Sholi said.

Once diagnosed, the affected testis must be removed through a surgery called orchiectomy, performed by a urologist, Pandya said. Depending on the type and staging of the cancer, chemotherapy might also be administered.

"Some types of chemotherapy can affect and alter your fertility on a temporary basis and, uncommonly, on a permanent basis, so sperm cryopreservation is often discussed with the patient," Pandya said.

"After the treatment has been done and once we have a better understanding of what the scans and blood work look like, the patient can return to normal life and engage in all the activities they were doing before the diagnosis."

Pandya noted that testicular cancer patients at Geisinger are treated with a multidisciplinary approach that includes urology, pathology, medical oncology and sometimes radiation oncology.

"Our goal is always to try and have our patients' lives given back to them so they can go on living the routine life that they were before they were — unfortunately — diagnosed with this cancer," Pandya said. "In most of our patients, we do see them return to their normal sense of life and well-being."

Sholi has seen multitudes of testicular cancer patients go on to be considered cured.

"Removing a testicle does not make you infertile. You're still going to produce enough testosterone, so you should go back to your daily life normally with no problem," he said. "It's not a death sentence, it's not a verdict that you can't have kids. It shouldn't affect your sexual drive, so you should be able to function very well even if you have one testicle removed."

The key to that happy scenario: early detection.

"All men have testicles. There's nothing to be embarrassed about or to be squeamish about," Sholi said.

"If you have pain, do not ignore it, please. If you feel a lump, do not ignore it, please. Mention it to your doctor, and hopefully, all is well."

27 Celebrities Who Have Had Breast Cancer

From A-list celebrities to the people in our own lives, breast cancer can can truly happen to anyone — and the stats show it. After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in US women, according to the American Cancer Society, with 1 in 8 US women expected to develop breast cancer at some point in their lives. Breast cancer is also the second-leading cause of cancer death in women, behind lung cancer, and the number one cause of cancer death in the US among Black and Hispanic women, per breastcancer.Org. And studies have shown that Black women are three times as likely to be diagnosed with a more severe form, called triple-negative breast cancer.

While breast cancer mainly occurs in middle-aged and older women (the median age for diagnosis is 62), anyone at any age can develop breast cancer, including men. (Per the CDC, 1 out of every 100 breast cancer cases in the US is found in a man.) The numbers are scary, but getting an early diagnosis can lead to better outcomes and higher survival rates. That means things like self-exams, speaking to your doctor as soon as you feel something off, and generally raising awareness about breast cancer can literally save lives.

The following celebrities have taken on that duty. From Today show anchor Hoda Kotb to singer Kylie Minogue to the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, all of these celebs have faced breast cancer in their own lives and spoken about their experience to increase awareness and connect to millions of patients around the world who are fighting the same fight.

A version of this post was originally published in 2019.

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Olivia Munn

In March 2024, Olivia Munn shared that she'd been diagnosed with breast cancer and had been undergoing treatment for a year, including a double mastectomy. The actress revealed the news in an emotional Instagram post, explaining that her doctor discovered the "aggressive, fast moving" Luminal B breast cancer after an MRI, which she ordered due to Munn's high Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score.

The fact that her doctor asked Munn to take the assessment "saved my life," Munn wrote. "I'm lucky. We caught it with enough time that I had options," she went on. "I want the same for any woman who might have to face this one day."

Katie Couric

Katie Couric was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2022 and announced the news later that year in a candid essay on Katie Couric Media. Getting the news came with a "heart-stopping, suspended animation feeling," wrote Couric, who's had multiple family members be diagnosed with cancer, as well as her first husband.

Couric's doctor told her the tumor was "highly treatable," and the journalist underwent a lumpectomy and radiation. She now uses her platform to encourage people to get mammograms (especially if you have dense breasts, which 45 percent of US women do) and to speak out about the lack of high-level care many people with breast cancer receive. "To reap the benefits of modern medicine, we need to stay on top of our screenings, advocate for ourselves, and make sure everyone has access to the diagnostic tools that could very well save their life," she wrote.

Linda Evangelista

The supermodel has been diagnosed with breast cancer twice: once in 2018 and again in 2020. She explained the diagnoses in a 2023 appearance on The View, saying, "It started out with my routine mammogram. I know we don't like doing our mammograms. I'm the biggest procrastinator, but that's one thing I was really faithful to." The doctors found an early form of breast cancer and Evangelista underwent a lumpectomy, but says it "wasn't so great" and ended up "being a double mastectomy, which was the right decision for me."

She returned to the doctor when she felt a "bump" on her pectoral muscle, later learning that the breast cancer had returned. She had chemo and has been on "meds for five years," saying, "They're horrible. They're hormone suppressors. They make you feel old." Still, she says she's embracing the scars from her health issues. "I'm okay with scars," she said. "I think scars are trophies."

Richard Roundtree

Roundtree, who starred in the film franchise Shaft and TV show Roots in the 70s, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 and became an important voice for men who face the disease. "I'm not embarrassed," he told People in 2000. "For a long time I never talked about the cancer. Nobody ever knew I was even in the hospital. But I tell everyone now. I feel that it's very important that people who are recognizable in the universe, at whatever level, say that they've gone through this and it's okay."

In 1993, Roundtree found a lump — "a minuscule thing, the size of a lima bean" — under his left nipple while showering. He remembered feeling "numb" while receiving the diagnosis. "Testicular cancer, prostate cancer like most guys get — I could understand that. But breast cancer?" He underwent a modified radical mastectomy to remove his left breast from sternum to armpit, but the cancer had also spread to his lymph nodes, so he went through six months of chemotherapy after the operation.

Of speaking out about his experience, Roundtree said, "It makes it easier for others who may be going through the same thing. When I tell other men, the reaction is, 'Really?' They're shocked. But I'm not embarrassed."

Roundtree passed away in October 2023 of pancreatic cancer.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

In 2017, Veep star Julia Louis-Dreyfus was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. She underwent six round of chemotherapy and had a double mastectomy, sharing her journey with fans as it happened. "One in eight women get breast cancer. Today, I'm the one," she wrote on Twitter in September 2017.

Describing the moment she was diagnosed, Louis-Dreyfus told The New Yorker, "Don't misunderstand: I was to-my-bones terrified. But I didn't let myself—except for a couple of moments—go to a really dark place. I didn't allow it." She described excruciating side effects of the chemotherapy: the inability to eat, the vomiting and diarrhea, the sores.

The Seinfeld legend wasn't sure she wanted to be open about such a private experience, but the fact that Veep shut down filming to accommodate her treatment meant that rumors would get out one way or another. "I thought, 'Well, I'm just going to embrace this and attack it and try to do it with a sense of humor,'" she told Self in 2018. "I was really pleased with the reaction."

Louis-Dreyfus has been cancer-free since 2018, and told fans at the 2023 New Yorker Festival, per People, "I'm just so happy to be here, you know. I think I'm enjoying things more. I think I work hard now to try not to allow my stress to enter my body if I can do it… it does have an impact."

Hoda Kotb

In 2007, Hoda Kotb was diagnosed with breast cancer during a routine exam. Kotb had never gotten a mammogram, a choice that now makes no sense to her, she told CancerConnect in 2018. "I wasn't scared of it. I ask people all the time why they haven't gotten checked for various things, and here I was not getting screened."

The cancer was far enough along that a mastectomy was necessary, but Kotb decided not to undergo chemotherapy since the cancer hadn't spread to her lymph nodes. The surgery was tough: "They said it was going to feel like you've been hit by a Mack truck. Luckily I've never had to experience that, but I can see where they're coming from."

Kotb followed the surgery with five years of tamoxifen, an estrogen modulator that helps prevent resurgence. As someone who hoped to have children in her future, this came with an emotional side effect. "Probably the hardest part about taking the pills is that they shut down your reproductive system, and I know every night when I take them that I'm contributing to that," said Kotb, who now has two adopted daughters.

The Today host also shared a revelation from her cancer journey that many other survivors echo. "You get a bad card, but here's that window that God opens: You can't scare me," she said. "And there's nothing better than getting that because small things don't matter as much, because you get rid of the people in your life who are hurting you, because you hold on tight to those who help you; and it's a moment of complete and total focus because for once in your life you get it."

Carla Bruni

Model and singer Carla Bruni revealed in 2023 that she'd been diagnosed with breast cancer four years ago. "Surgery, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, I went through the usual treatment for this type of cancer," she explained in an Instagram video.

Bruni said she was able to catch the cancer early, before it was aggressive, because "Every year, on the same date, I do a mammogram. If I hadn't done one every year, I wouldn't have a left breast today."

Bruni added that she "hesitated for a long time" to share her diagnosis publicly, but was doing so now "to deliver a message… Do your mammograms every year. Do your mammograms. Your lives depend on it."

Wanda Sykes

In 2011, actress and comedian Wanda Sykes shared her breast cancer diagnosis on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. After going in for a breast reduction, Sykes says the necessary lab work revealed something unexpected: "They found that I had DCIS [ductal carcinoma in situ] in my left breast," she said on the show, per CNN. "I was very, very lucky because DCIS is basically stage-zero cancer. So I was very lucky."

Sykes was given a choice: she could take a "wait and see" approach, or she could take action to remove the cancer. "I had the choice of, you can go back every three months and get it checked. Have a mammogram, MRI every three months just to see what it's doing," she told DeGeneres. "But, I'm not good at keeping on top of stuff. I'm sure I'm overdue for an oil change and a teeth cleaning already."

Partly also due to her family history of breast cancer, she decided to have a bilateral mastectomy, describing her decision like this: "I had both breasts removed … because now I have zero chance of having breast cancer … It sounds scary upfront, but what do you want? Do you want to wait and not be as fortunate when it comes back and it's too late?"

Christina Applegate

When actress Christina Applegate was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, it felt like a "total emotional collapse," she told More magazine in 2012, per ABC News. Because her mother is a breast cancer survivor, Applegate had already been getting regular mammograms. But in 2007, a doctor suggested an MRI instead, due to her naturally dense breast tissue. Sure enough, the MRI revealed early-stage breast cancer, and follow-up genetic testing also showed that Applegate tested positive for the BRCA gene.

Given the option of radiation treatment or a bilateral mastectomy, here's how Applegate described her thinking on The Oprah Winfrey Show: "Radiation was something temporary, and it wasn't addressing the issue of this coming back or the chance of it coming back in my left breast," Applegate told Winfrey. "I sort of had to kind of weigh all my options at that point …It just seemed like, 'I don't want to have to deal with this again. I don't want to keep putting that stuff in my body. I just want to be done with this.' And I was just going to let them go."

Applegate, who has since been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, had an emotional recovery from the surgery, staging a nude shoot before going under the knife and saying she cries about it "at least once a day." But she's determined to use her experience to help other women.

"I am a 36-year-old person with breast cancer, and not many people know that that happens to women my age or women in their 20s," the Dead to Me star said in 2012. "This is my opportunity now to go out and fight as hard as I can for early detection."

Sarah Ferguson

The Duchess of York went public about her breast cancer diagnosis in June 2023 on her podcast, Tea Talks with the Duchess and Sarah. She and her co-host Sarah Thomson recorded the episode the day before Ferguson had a mastectomy. Ferguson spoke out about her diagnostic process via a mammogram, which she partially credits to her sister, per People. She almost put off going into London for a mammogram, as she didn't have any symptoms that concerned her, but her sister Jane urged her not to put it off during a phone conversation. "Thank you, Jane," she said. "I think it's so important you do talk about it."

Ferguson went on to speak about her family history of cancer and why her relatives are so adamant about screenings. "'It doesn't matter what you're doing. Don't say it's not going to happen to you, doesn't matter if you feel fine because cancer can be so silent, such a silent, silent little hiding thing, which hides in the cells. Go get screened. Go get checked. Don't wait,'" said Ferguson. She told her entire podcast audience, "I am telling people out there because I want every single person that is listening to this podcast to go get checked. Go get screened and go do it."

Martina Navratilova

Martina Navratilova was diagnosed with stage 1 throat cancer and breast cancer in January 2023, 13 years after undergoing a lumpectomy to remove a noninvasive form of breast cancer. In a statement on her website, Navratilova said doctors found the breast cancer — which was "completely unrelated" to the throat cancer — while the retired tennis star was undergoing tests for her throat. "Both these cancers are in their early stages with great outcomes," she said at the time.

Navratilova announced she was cancer-free in March 2023 and told the Today show in October that the two diagnoses felt like a "double whammy." She continued, "Physically, it's been the hardest thing I've ever gone through. I almost get PTSD when I come to New York (because) several weeks of treatment were here."

"I feel pretty good and thankful," Navratilova added. "It could've been so much worse."

Jill Martin Brooks

Today contributor Jill Martin Brooks was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in 2023 and has been sharing an honest look into her journey. "Cancer is the most insidious disease and thing I've ever encountered (and) I think I'm a tough cookie," Martin Brooks told Today. "It's strange because I look like myself. (But) I can look in the mirror, I see the difference, I see that I've lost some hair and I see that I don't have the same sparkle that I like to wake up with."

While undergoing chemotherapy, Martin Brooks has chosen to continue working, but it hasn't been easy. While recent advances in treatment have allowed her to avoid the vomiting and intense hair loss that chemo usually brings, she said the treatments get "worse every time… Every time I sleep for one extra day, so the week after chemo is like, there's no plans. I'll be in bed, and I give myself the grace of that."

As for why she's been open to sharing her journey, Martin Brooks says she hopes her experience can help save lives. "I've been with the show for 15 years and I've shared the happy, I've shared the sad, and now, I'm sharing the scary," she said. "I feel … I was given this to be able to help and save other people. I truly believe that deep down."

Sara Sidner

The CNN News Central co-anchor announced her stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis on-air in January 2024, per Today, citing the statistic that 1 in 8 US women will have breast cancer at some time in their life and saying, "I am that 1 in 8 in my friend group."

"It's hard to say out loud," Sidner continued, sharing that she was in her second month of chemo and plans to undergo radiation and have a double mastectomy. She also noted that Black women are 41 percent more likely to die from breast cancer than white women, per the American Cancer Society. "So to all my sisters, Black and white and brown out there, please, for the love of God, get your mammograms every single year," Sidner said. "Do your self-exams. Try to catch it before I did."

Shannen Doherty

Shannen Doherty was initially diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2015 and has always been candid about her disease until recently. The 90210 star shared in an interview with Good Morning America that she initially didn't want to tell anyone her cancer had come back because she didn't want people thinking her life was over and that she couldn't work. "Like, you know, our life doesn't end the minute we get that diagnosis. We still have some living to do."

"I definitely have days where I say why me. And then I go, well, why not me? Who else? Who else besides me deserves this? None of us do," she said. And with all that she has been through, Doherty is using this time to help others who have had or who are going through similar experiences.

"I think the thing I want to do the most right now is I want to make an impact," she said. "I want to be remembered for something bigger than just me."

Kathy Bates

Kathy Bates was no stranger to breast cancer when she got her diagnosis: both her mother and aunt were survivors, and Bates had felt for a while that a diagnosis was likely coming. But it wasn't her first diagnosis: In 2003, Bates was diagnosed with stage 1 ovarian cancer, for which she underwent nine rounds of chemotherapy.

Bates told Yahoo in 2019 how tough her first diagnosis had been: "I'm very open and direct so it was hard for me not to talk to people about it. But at the same time, I withdrew from all of the activities that I had in my life …I don't think I really came out about being a cancer survivor until I developed breast cancer in 2012."

In 2012, an MRI revealed Bates's breast cancer — which she says she took even harder than her first experience with cancer. "Breast cancer was much more difficult for me than the ovarian…Obviously, losing one's breast on the outside of the body is much more noticeable. And I was in a lot of pain, which I wasn't with ovarian."

And the difficulties didn't stop once she beat the cancer: The Misery star developed lymphedema, which she describes as a "souvenir of cancer." She describes the condition like this: "The doctors remove lymph nodes to keep the cancer from spreading. If the lymph nodes have been damaged or traumatized in any way, you're at risk for lymphedema. [It causes] pain, swelling, you tend to isolate. So it's psychologically so damaging …It was almost worse than having the cancer."

Maggie Smith

In 2008, Downton Abbey star Maggie Smith was diagnosed with breast cancer after discovering a lump on her breast. "I didn't think it was anything serious because years ago I felt a lump and it was benign…I assumed this would be too," she told the Telegraph in2009. "It kind of takes the wind out of your sails, and I don't know what the future holds, if anything. I don't think there's a lot of it, because of my age — there just isn't. It's all been. I've no idea what there will be."

She says that discovering this cancer at a later age made it difficult to bounce back: "It takes you longer to recover, you are not so resilient. I am fearful of the amount of energy one needs to be in a film or a play."

Nonetheless, Smith famously continued filming Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince while undergoing chemotherapy treatments. "I was hairless. I had no problem getting the wig on. I was like a boiled egg," she recalled. Of chemotherapy (which she said was "worse than the cancer itself), she said this: "You feel horribly sick. I was holding on to railings, thinking 'I can't do this.'"

As of 2009, Smith was just starting to feel back to normal — whatever that means. "The last couple of years have been a write-off, though I'm beginning to feel like a person now, she shared. "My energy is coming back. Shit happens. I ought to pull myself together a bit."

Rita Wilson

In 2015, actress Rita Wilson shared with People that she had received a breast cancer diagnosis and encouraged readers to listen to their bodies if they felt something was off.

"Last week, with my husband by my side, and with the love and support of family and friends, I underwent a bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction for breast cancer after a diagnosis of invasive lobular carcinoma," Wilson said. She reported that she was expected to make a full recovery, in part because she got a second opinion after a breast biopsy showed not cancer.

"A friend who had had breast cancer suggested I get a second opinion on my pathology and my gut told me that was the thing to do," she said. "A different pathologist found invasive lobular carcinoma," and Wilson was diagnosed with cancer. "I share this to educate others that a second opinion is critical to your health. You have nothing to lose if both opinions match up for the good, and everything to gain if something that was missed is found, which does happen. Early diagnosis is key."

In 2019, Wilson reflected on the past four, cancer-free years in an Instagram post. "I had so many different thoughts. You're scared, anxious, you think about your own mortality. So I had a serious discussion with my husband that if anything happens, I wanted him to be super sad for a very long time. And I'd also like a party, a celebration."

Sheryl Crow

In 2006, musician Sheryl Crow was diagnosed with "estrogen-positive stage 1 invasive breast cancer," she told Popsugar in 2019. The lump was discovered during a mammogram, after which Crow underwent a biopsy, lumpectomy, and seven weeks of radiation.

It was a time of serious reflection for Crow. "Part of my challenge with being diagnosed was to put myself first, to learn how to say no, and to learn how to listen to my body when it came to exhaustion, and to not take care of everyone," she said. "To actually put my oxygen mask on before I put anybody else's on in order to save my own life."

Crow wants women to know more about risk factors. While she doesn't have a family history of breast cancer, she does have dense breasts, which put her at an increased risk for developing breast cancer. Now cancer-free, Crow reflected on what her journey meant to her: "My joy has never been more intact than now. The last 10 years, not only has my life been enhanced, but just my ability to be in my life and to enjoy my life and to not sweat the small stuff, I think, is directly correlated to having survived breast cancer."

Amy Robach

When TV anchor Amy Robach was diagnosed with stage 2 invasive breast cancer, she felt like her world was ending. "I did not handle it gracefully or stoically at all — I completely fell apart. I think there was a gasp," she told Cure Today in 2018. "It shook me to my core."

It was actually an on-air mammogram on Good Morning America that led to Robach's cancer being discovered — which, to an extent, forced Robach to go through the experience publicly. "It was scary to be public, but I don't know how I would have gotten through it if I didn't have the support from thousands of women who were writing, emailing, texting and tweeting me," she said of the experience. "It felt beautiful."

She underwent a double mastectomy (against her doctor's advice) and many rounds of chemotherapy. She continued working throughout chemo treatments, which she says helped her keep her head together. "It was important to me to be something other than a cancer patient, and going to work gave me something to wake up for that wasn't cancer-related."

But the physical and mental effects shook her to her core nonetheless. "You lose your memory, and you don't really remember what you're doing…Hot flashes, mood swings, battling weight gain — it feels very overwhelming. I felt like I turned 40 and lost 20 years. I had to mourn the loss of who I was before and accept who I am now physically," she recalls. "I was told and warned that when your treatments are over, you're not going to be celebrating. You might for one day, but then the fear hits you. I'd see grandparents playing with their grandchildren and have dark thoughts: "Will I know mine? Will I play with mine? Will I be that old?"

Her advice to cancer patients now? "There is life during cancer treatments, and there is life after cancer treatments." Personally, she's trying to live each moment to the fullest: "I live like I'm dying. I know it sounds like a country music song, but it is how I live. That's how I have inspired my children to live. Everyone around me lives better. We do what we want to do now — we don't say 10 years from now."

Cynthia Nixon

In 2006, Cynthia Nixon was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer. But her outlook was optimistic: "I've learned that if you catch breast cancer early, the chances are overwhelmingly good that you'll be cured. So my attitude, which very much mirrored my mother's, was this wasn't a big deal," Nixon told Marie Claire in 2008. Her mother was a breast cancer survivor, and had caught the breast cancer at a similarly early stage to Nixon's.

Given her family history, Nixon had been getting yearly mammograms since age 35, which helped with her early detection. "The doctor said the tumor was so small, he wouldn't have even noticed it except for the fact that it wasn't there on previous X-rays," she explained. After her diagnosis, she had six weeks of radiation and a lumpectomy, all of which she completed without missing a performance of a play she was in at the time.

In 2014, Nixon's mother died from breast cancer, which had returned 35 years after her first diagnosis. In 2016, Nixon spoke at the Breast Cancer Foundation Gala about her mother's struggle, and why she's fighting for breast cancer awareness today: "Breast cancer is beatable. It's the most beatable cancer out there. We have to check ourselves and get the mammograms … My mother brought me up to believe that a breast cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence."

Kylie Minogue

Singer Kylie Minogue was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 after an initial misdiagnosis. On The Ellen DeGeneres Show, per Daily Express, Minogue revealed that she was initially told she was clear after a mammogram, but then discovered a lump weeks later that, following a lumpectomy, turned out to be breast cancer. "Early diagnosis and prompt treatment is the key for any woman diagnosed with breast cancer," Minogue now advises.

The singer underwent surgery and chemotherapy, but one of the hardest aspects of her recovery has been accepting that she's unlikely to have children. "I don't want to dwell on it, obviously, but I wonder what would have been like," she told London's Sunday Times, per Belfast Telegraph. "I just have to be as philosophical about it as I can. You've got to accept where you are and get on with it."

Edie Falco

Sopranos star Edie Falco talked to Health about her breast cancer diagnosis in 2008 — and why she kept it a secret as long as she did.

"The moment a doctor says 'We have bad news' is life-changing. For me, time stopped. I couldn't walk. I couldn't breathe," she reflected, per CNN. "It was very important for me to keep my diagnosis under the radar, even from the cast and crew of The Sopranos, because well-meaning people would have driven me crazy asking, 'How are you feeling?' I would have wanted to say, 'I'm scared, I don't feel so good, and my hair is falling out.'"

Falco's cancer went into remission a year later, she told Fortune in 2019, and it changed her outlook on life. "I survived cancer, for heaven's sake. How could you not be grateful?"

Betsey Johnson

In 1999, Betsey Johnson discovered a lump in her breast a few weeks after surgery to remove her breast implants — a decision she said was long overdue in a 2017 interview with Bustle. After finding a "grape-sized" lump, Johnson rushed to a clinic: "When you go get a mammogram or sonogram and they don't let you go home, you know you're in trouble …That's what happened."

Johnson had a lumpectomy later that year. She also underwent weeks of radiation, all the while keeping her diagnosis a secret from everyone close to her, including her own daughter. Here's why she decided to keep this massive secret: "My biggest fear was that people were gonna think I was going to die …That I wasn't going to pay my bills. That I'm not going to design. That I'm not going to feel good. That it was over."

It was until late 2000 that Johnson shared her diagnosis with friends and family, sharing her story with the public a few days later. Then and now, Johnson's goal in going public was to keep the focus on survival — and early detection. "I still try to remember to tell [customers], 'Get your damn mammogram. Don't fool around with this. Just get it done,'" she says. "I love being a real advocate, really pushing my customers to take care of business. Don't be scared of it. Just get tested. If you've got it, do something about it."

Hannah Storm

ESPN anchor Hannah Storm wasn't experiencing any symptoms of breast cancer when she was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a non-invasive, "stage zero" cancer. "I have no family history. I had no pain. I had no lumps," she told People in March 2024.

Storm was diagnosed via an ultrasound after her routine mammogram showed that she had dense breasts, making it difficult to distinguish tumors from breast tissue. She caught the cancer early enough that her doctors were able to clear all the cancerous cells via a lumpectomy, and wanted to share her story to encourage others to keep on top of their screenings. "This is just to say how important it is to commit to your own health and get your lifesaving screening," she said. "Breast cancer survival rates just keep climbing and early detection is a huge part of that so give yourself the best chance possible."

Suzanne Somers

Suzanne Somers has become known for her suggestion of alternative treatments since her cancer diagnosis. In 2001, she revealed that she was taking a mistletoe extract supplement to boost her immune system after a lumpectomy and radiation therapy to treat her breast cancer, the New York Post reported.

In her 2012 book Knockout, Somers talks about her choice to pursue nontraditional treatment: "When you receive a cancer diagnosis, you're more vulnerable than at any other time in your life. I've personally had the experience twice…My only hope for survival was alternatives. But that was my decision, what I thought was best for me."

In July 2023, Somers revealed on Instagram that her cancer had recently come back. "I had breast cancer two decades ago, and every now and then it pops up again, and I continue to bat it down," she wrote. "I have used the best alternative and conventional treatments to combat it. This is not new territory for me. I know how to put on my battle gear and I'm a fighter."

Somers passed away on Oct. 15, 2023. Per CNN, a statement from the star's publicist read, "Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15th. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years."

Sandra Lee

In 2015, Food Network star Sandra Lee found out she had early-stage breast cancer (specifically, DCIS). After weighing her options, she decided to undergo a double mastectomy, despite the cancer only being in one breast at the time. "I didn't want to take any chances," she says in her 2019 HBO documentary, Rx Early Detection: A Cancer Journey with Sandra Lee. "My cancer was in three separate places, and there was the possibility it could come back in the other breast."

While the surgery was successful and Lee required no further treatment for the cancer, she struggled emotionally and physically in the weeks that followed, later developing a life-threatening infection in one breast that left her bedridden. "I couldn't leave the house — I couldn't even move, I was in so much pain," she shares.

Now, Lee has dedicated herself to sharing resources and raising awareness about early detection. Along with her illuminating documentary, Lee worked hard to pass New York State's No Excuses law, an advanced cancer-screening program. "The earlier you catch it, the longer you get to live," Lee told Good Housekeeping in 2018. "Period. End of story."

Nicole Eggert

Nicole Eggert was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in December 2023 after discovering a lump during a self-exam. "It really was throbbing and hurting," she told People in January 2024, while waiting to undergo surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. "I have panics where I'm like, just get this out of me," the Baywatch alum added.

As a single mom of two daughters, Eggert said her "biggest fear" was not being able to take care of her kids — especially her youngest, 12-year-old Keegan. "It immediately made me realize, there's just no succumbing to this," she said. "This is something I have to get through. This is something that I have to beat. She needs me more than anything and anybody."

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