Plus, the star reflects on her recent double mastectomy.
Actress Olivia Munn has candidly opened up about her breast cancer diagnosis in a new social media post; she also revealed that she recently underwent a double mastectomy.
On Wednesday March 13th, Munn posted a photo carousel to Instagram. Several of the photos captured moments of Munn in the hospital; a trio of screenshots and her caption offered some background info.
“In February of 2023, in an effort to be proactive about my health, I took a genetic test that checks you for 90 different cancer genes,” Munn wrote. “I tested negative for all, including BRCA (the most well-known breast cancer gene). My sister Sara [Potts] had just tested negative as well. We called each other and high-fived over the phone. That same winter I also had a normal mammogram.”
Despite that seemingly good news, Munn was diagnosed with breast cancer two months later and quickly started treatment: “In the past ten months I have had four surgeries, 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.”
According to Munn — who welcomed her first baby with comedian John Mulaney in November 2021 — she initially kept her diagnosis private, “to get through some of the hardest parts before sharing.”
Munn elaborates that her cancer wouldn’t have been discovered for another year — the time of her next scheduled mammogram — if not for her OBGYN, Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi. Dr. Aliabadi calculated Munn’s risk via a Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score. (You can do the same thing using this online tool.)
“Dr. Aliabadi looked at factors like my age, familial breast cancer history, and the fact that I had my first child after the age of 30.” Dr. Aliabadi determined that Munn had a lifetime risk of 37%; the score led Munn to get an MRI, “which led to an ultrasound, which then led to a biopsy.”
“The biopsy showed I had Luminal B cancer in both breasts,” Munn continued. She received her mastectomy a month after her biopsy: “I went from feeling completely fine one day, to waking up in a hospital bed after a 10-hour surgery the next.”
Despite these health setbacks, Munn referred to herself as “lucky”: “We caught it with enough time that I had options,” she writes. “I want the same for any woman who might have to face this one day.”
“Ask your doctor to calculate your Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score,” she advised. “Dr. Aliabadi says that if the number is greater than 20%, you need annual mammograms and breast MRIs starting at age 30.”
Munn also captioned the post with a message of support for those who might be reading: “I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I hope by sharing this it will help others find comfort, inspiration and support on their own journey.”
