Olivia Munn credits this online tool for helping diagnose her breast cancer
Global News
The 43-year-old took to Instagram to share her breast cancer story, saying she was diagnosed last year and underwent four operations in the last 10 months.
Actress Olivia Munn revealed on Wednesday that she recently underwent a double mastectomy following a breast cancer diagnosis, and credited an online risk assessment tool for saving her life.
The 43-year-old took to Instagram to share her breast cancer story, saying she was diagnosed last year and underwent four operations in the last 10 months.
Munn, known for her roles in X-Men: Apocalypse and Magic Mike, revealed that despite testing negative for 90 different cancer genes in a genetic test she took in February 2023, her doctor decided to calculate her breast cancer risk assessment.
The risk assessment test, she said, led to further tests, including a biopsy that showed she had “Luminal B cancer in both breasts.”
“I wouldn’t have found my cancer for another year at my next scheduled mammogram except that my OBGYN…decided to calculate my Breast Cancer Risk Assessment score,” she wrote in her Instagram post. “The fact that she did saved my life.”
Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in women. Each year, more than 22,000 women develop breast cancer in Canada and more than 5,000 die of the disease, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). Based on current rates, one in nine women in Canada is expected to develop breast cancer during their lifetime.
Several risk factors can increase a person’s likelihood of developing breast cancer, including biological factors like age and family history, as well as lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise. However, PHAC emphasized that most women may have some of these risk factors. Having one or more risk factors does not necessarily indicate a future breast cancer diagnosis.
Kimberly Carson, CEO of Breast Cancer Canada, emphasized the importance of breast cancer assessment tests as valuable tools for raising awareness and understanding one’s health. However, she cautioned against solely relying on these tests.
