Today
American actress Olivia Munn revealed this Wednesday in an Instagram post that she underwent a double mastectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
The post includes a series of photos and videos of Munn, 43, in the hospital, as well as a letter from her describing how she was diagnosed.
“I hope that sharing this helps others find comfort, inspiration and support in their own journey,” the actress wrote.
Munn explained that she was diagnosed in February 2023, after undergoing a series of genetic tests.
Although she tested negative for the BRCA gene, a mutation commonly linked to breast cancer, and her mammogram came back clear, her gynecologist later determined she had a 37% risk of developing the disease.
That’s when Munn underwent an MRI, ultrasound and biopsy. “Two months later I was diagnosed with breast cancer,” she wrote.
An “aggressive cancer”
The actress said she has luminal B cancer in both breasts, which Munn described as “an aggressive, fast-moving cancer.”
If it had not been for her obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi, Munn said she would not have been diagnosed with the disease for a year.
Aliabadi recommended Munn calculate her breast cancer risk score to determine her likelihood of developing it. “The fact that she did it saved my life,” said the actress.
(Cancer is receding in the US, but the number of people with the disease will still exceed 2 million this year)
“Dr. Aliabadi took into account factors like my age, my family history of breast cancer, and the fact that I had my first child after age 30,” Munn continued.
There are at least 24 risk assessment models to determine a person’s likelihood, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The treatment
As part of her treatment, Munn said she has undergone four surgeries in the past 10 months, including a double mastectomy, in which both breasts are removed.
In that time, he said he has “learned more about cancer, cancer treatment and hormones” than he could have imagined.
And she thanked her partner, John Mulaney, her family, her friends and the breast cancer patients she has spoken to in the last year for the support.
Since receiving her diagnosis, Munn has wanted to maintain her privacy. “I needed to catch my breath and get through some of the hardest parts before sharing it,” she wrote.
Before, she only let people see her when she had good energy, could get dressed, leave the house and take her son Malcolm to the park, she added. She says she “handled” all of her emotions, noting that she has only cried twice.
In a video Munn shared on Instagram, Aliabadi hugs Munn, who is in a hospital bed dressed in a surgical gown and cap, and tells her to do it for her son before the actress can be heard saying : “I’m ready”.
Munn also included photos of herself during a mammogram and another exam, and the framed photo of Mulaney and her son that she woke up to after surgery.
Despite being diagnosed with cancer at such a young age, Munn She said she felt lucky.
“We detected it in enough time to have options,” he wrote. “I want the same for any woman who may have to deal with this one day.”
