Opening up about her recent health battle, Olivia Munn announced she has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
In a post on Instagram, Munn revealed she received the diagnosis last winter. “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.”
“I tested negative for all, including BRCA (the most well-known breast cancer gene). My sister Sara had just tested negative as well. We called each other and high-fived over the phone.”
However, Olivia Munn also had a normal mammogram done. Two months after having the genetic testing done, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. “In the past ten months I have had four surgeries,” she revealed.
“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.”
Munn then said that her focus narrowed and she tabled any emotions that she felt would interfere with her ability to stay clearheaded.
“I’ve tended to let people see me when I have energy,” she continued. “When I can get dressed and get out of the house, when I can take my baby boy to the park.”
Olivia Munn further shared she kept the diagnosis, the worry, the recovery, the pain medication, and paper gowns private. “I needed to catch my breath and get through some of the hardest parts before sharing.”
Olivia Munn Said Her OBGYN Saved Her Live After Calculating Her Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score
Olivia Munn stated that she wouldn’t have known about her cancer had her doctor not stepped in.
“I wouldn’t have found my cancer for another year,” Munn pointed out. “At my next scheduled mammogram – except that my OBGYN, Dr. Thais Aliabadi, decided to calculate my Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score. The fact that she did saved my life.”
Olivia Munn then shared that her doctor looked at factors such as her age, and familial breast cancer history. She also noted she had her first child at the age of 30.
“She discovered my lifetime risk was at 37%,” Munn said. “Because of that score, I was sent to get an MRI, which led to an ultrasound, which then led to a biopsy.”
The biopsy revealed that Munn had Luminal B cancer in both breasts. It is considered an aggressive, fast-moving cancer.
One month after the biopsy, she had a double mastectomy. “I went from feeling completely fine one day to waking up in a hospital bed after a 10-hour surgery the next.”
Munn went on to add that she was lucky that her doctor caught the cancer with enough time to give her options. “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.”