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Olivia Munn reveals she has breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy

March 15, 2024

Actor Olivia Munn, who has starred in dozens of movies and television shows, including the HBO series “The Newsroom,” revealed on social media that she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer only two months after having a normal mammogram.

“I’m lucky. We caught it with enough time that I had options. I want the same for any woman who might have to face this one day,” the 43-year-old actor posted on Instagram, with photos and a video of her being treated in hospital.

Munn described taking a genetic test in February 2023 that checks for 90 different cancer genes in order to be "proactive" about her health and was negative for all. However, her obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi nonetheless decided to calculate her Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Scores, a decision that Munn credits with saving her life.

Dr. Aliabadi determined that based on several factors, including her age and family history, Munn's lifetime risk was 37%. Munn had imaging tests and then got a biopsy, which found she had luminal B cancer—an aggressive form of cancer in both breasts. She had a double mastectomy 30 days after the biopsy and has had four surgeries in the past 10 months.

Munn said in her post that having her first child over the age of 30 was a factor. Munn has been in a relationship with comedian John Mulaney since 2021; they have a 2-year-old son, Malcolm, together.

In her social media post, Olivia Munn urged her followers to ask their doctors to calculate their Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score as her doctor had. “The fact that she did saved my life,” Munn wrote.

Sources:

(2024, March 13). AP. Olivia Munn reveals she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent double mastectomy. https://apnews.com/article/olivia-munn-breast-cancer-5606c55695a570234c7ef825a5171d2a

Morrow, Brendan. (2024, March 13). USA TODAY. Olivia Munn reveals breast cancer diagnosis, underwent double mastectomy. https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2024/03/13/olivia-munn-breast-cancer-diagnosis-double-mastectomy-surgery/72956746007/

Salam, Maya. (2024, March 13). The New York Times. Olivia Munn Had Double Mastectomy After Breast Cancer Diagnosis. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/13/arts/olivia-munn-breast-cancer-mastectomy.html