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Olivia Munn Reveals Breast Cancer Diagnosis: Actress Underwent Double Mastectomy and 4 Surgeries
Four days after walking the red carpet at the 2024 Oscars, actress Olivia Munn revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2023 and underwent a double mastectomy a month later.
The cancer was caught early thanks to her doctor requesting a Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score, as an MRI and biopsy went on to reveal she had Luminal B cancer in both breasts. “The fact that she did saved my life,” Olivia, 43, wrote in a lengthy Instagram post on Wednesday, March 13, adding that Luminal B is an “aggressive, fast moving cancer.”
Olivia underwent a double mastectomy 30 days later, followed by four surgeries over the course of 10 months.
During that time, The Newsroom alum revealed she spent “so many days spent in bed I can’t even count and have learned more about cancer, cancer treatment and hormones than I ever could have imagined. Surprisingly, I’ve only cried twice. I guess I haven’t felt like there was time to cry. My focus narrowed and I tabled any emotions that I felt would interfere with my ability to stay clearheaded.”
Olivia shared how she underwent a mammogram in February 2023, along with taking a genetic test for 90 different cancer genes. “I tested negative to all, including BRCA (the most well-known breast cancer gene),” she told fans. Because her Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score came back as 37 percent, her doctor recommended the testing that detected the cancer early. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been found until her next annual mammogram.
The Predator star went on to praise boyfriend John Mulaney and others who supported her through her secret cancer battle and subsequent surgeries. The couple share a 2-year-old son, Malcolm.
“I’m so thankful to my friends and family for loving me through this. I’m so thankful to John for the nights he spent researching what every operation and medication meant and what side effects and recovery I could expect,” she wrote.
“For being there before I went into each surgery and being there when I woke up, always placing framed photos of our little boy Malcolm so it would be the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes,” Olivia continued.
The Oklahoma native revealed why she kept her medical crisis a secret until now.
“I’ve tended to let people see me when I have energy, when I can get dressed and get out of the house, when I can take my baby boy to the park. I’ve kept my diagnosis and the worry and the recovery and the pain medicine and the paper gowns private. I needed to catch my breath and get through some of the hardest parts before sharing,” she explained.
Olivia and John, 41, walked the red carpet together at the Oscars on Sunday, March 10. They pair also attended the Vanity Fair Oscars Party that followed the event. Her last major public appearance was in January 2023 at a beverage launch party in Los Angeles.
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