'The Office' Star Jenna Fischer Reveals Breast Cancer Diagnosis
"The Office" star Jenna Fischer on Tuesday revealed that she was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, but is now cancer free.
Fischer, 50, shared the news on Instagram on Tuesday in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month.
"Back in October 2023, I posted a photo of myself on Instagram preparing for my routine mammogram with a joking reminder to 'take care of your ticking time bags' a la Michael Scott," Fischer began the statement, referring to her fictional boss on "The Office," played by Steve Carrell.
"After inconclusive results on that mammogram due to dense breast tissue my doctor ordered a breast ultrasound. They found something in my left breast. A biopsy was ordered. Then, on December 1, 2023, I learned I had stage 1 triple positive breast cancer," she wrote.
Fischer underwent a lumpectomy to remove the tumor in January this year, but due to the "aggressive nature" of her cancer, she underwent 12 rounds of chemotherapy starting in February and three weeks of radiation starting in June. Following that, she was treated with two other infusions of medication.
"After completing surgery, chemotherapy and radiation I am now cancer free," she wrote.
"I lost my hair during chemotherapy but thanks to some great wigs and hats with hair (which my family affectionately called Wigats) I have been able to wait until now to reveal all that has been going on for me," she wrote.
"I'm making this announcement for a few reasons. One, I'm ready to ditch the wigs. Two, to implore you to get your annual mammograms," she wrote.
"If I had waited six months longer, things could have been much worse," she wrote. "It could have spread. Seeing women post photos of their mammogram appointments on Instagram needled me into setting my own (which I was late for). I'm so glad I did. Consider this your kick in the butt to get it done."
-- With reporting by TMX
