When Celebrities Announce a Cancer Diagnosis

It can sometimes feel like cancer is all around us. This week, Congressman Jamie Raskin and Senator Bob Casey shared their cancer diagnoses and plans for treatment. Last month, Katie Couric revealed she had breast cancer; Kirstie Alley died of colon cancer, and international soccer star Pele died after a short hospitalization related to cancer. No one can forget Steve Jobs’ very public battle with pancreatic cancer or John McCain’s quick death from a brain tumor.

For survivors, cancer in the news can trigger memories of their own cancer treatment, renewed fears of recurrence, or questioning if their cancer treatment was correct.

First, this is normal. In our celebrity-focused culture, we are bombarded with advice from celebrities—from face creams to credit cards. And companies wouldn’t pay these spokespeople millions of dollars if their messages were not getting through. Our brains, therefore, are accustomed to listening to what a celebrity is doing. This may be fine for a decision about which car to buy or which travel website to use to book a vacation, but when it comes to cancer treatments, consume with caution.

On the positive side, celebrity endorsements of recommended cancer screenings are becoming more common. Jimmy Kimmel and Ryan Reynolds, for example, aired their colonoscopies live. ABC news correspondent Amy Robach had her first mammogram on air, which ended up finding cancer. The normalization of cancer screening tests and showing the process can ease fears about what things will be like and prompt those hesitating out of fear to seek screening. And it works. When First Lady Nancy Regan was diagnosed with cancer, for example, mammography screening centers were flooded with calls from women wanting to schedule a mammogram.

There is, however, a potential dark side. On May 14, 2013, Angelina Jolie shared the news of her bilateral risk-reducing mastectomies. She did not have cancer but removed her breasts out of caution due to her high likelihood of developing cancer due to the detection of a genetic mutation. Physicians in the United Kingdom recently published a study looking at the “Angelina Jolie effect” on women diagnosed with breast cancer choosing to remove non-cancerous breasts due to perceived risk reduction. The results were astounding. The rates of contralateral mastectomies doubled from the period before her announcement (“pre-AJ”) to after. The decision to remove an unaffected breast is multi-factorial but controlling for other factors, the trend remained strong, especially in younger women. Were these mastectomies necessary? It’s unknown, but this research suggests that women are influenced by the choices celebrities make.

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So, what can you do when you hear a celebrity announce they have cancer? First, take a deep breath. Celebrities are humans just like the rest of us and live in broken bodies that can get cancer. Second, understand that just like any other person on social media or otherwise, they are likely not sharing the whole story. We often are not privy to what stage the cancer is, how symptomatic they were when they presented, any family or personal history that may be relevant, etc. We do not have the full picture. As Anne Lamott says, “Never compare your insides to everyone else’s outsides.”

Also, this is a helpful time to go back to your survivorship care plan document or even think through in your mind all the treatments you had for cancer. Remember the incredible amount of time you spent in the hospital or in doctor’s offices. Write down all the treatments you had and put them in a spot where you can be reminded of all you did to treat your cancer. If you have a hard time remembering, ask your friends and family members to help you recall your cancer journey.

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Finally, check in with your oncologist. A simple patient message through your electronic chart or even at your next visit about what you have read and what new treatments are available for your cancer is a very reasonable question. Science changes as new discoveries are made, so asking questions is normal and should be welcomed by your provider. They likely won’t have any more information than you about the particulars of a celebrity diagnosis, but a general conversation about your specific situation can be helpful.