Olivia Munn shares breast cancer diagnosis: ‘Caught it in time’

Olivia Munn, the well-known actress, shared on Instagram last Wednesday, March 13, that she has undergone a battle with breast cancer, resulting in “four surgeries” within the last 10 months.

At 43, Munn expressed her hope that her openness about her diagnosis could offer comfort, inspiration, and support to others navigating similar challenges.

She disclosed that a mere 30 days following her biopsy, she underwent a double mastectomy. Since then, she recounted, there have been countless days spent confined to her bed.

The early detection of her cancer, she credits to her OBGYN, Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi, who calculated her Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score. This proactive approach, according to Munn, was lifesaving.

Dr. Aliabadi assessed various factors, including Munn’s age, her family’s history of breast cancer, and that Munn had her first child after turning 30. This assessment revealed Munn’s lifetime risk of developing breast cancer was 37%. Following this, an MRI was conducted, leading to further tests and eventually a biopsy that identified Luminal B cancer in both breasts—a particularly aggressive and rapid type of cancer.

Reflecting on her experience, Munn stated, “I went from feeling completely fine one day, to waking up in a hospital bed after a 10-hour surgery the next. I’m lucky. We caught it with enough time that I had options.”

She urges other women to inquire with their doctors about calculating their Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score, emphasizing the importance of proactive screening if the risk is above 20%.

Prior to her acclaimed roles in television and film, Munn was a correspondent on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” for a year and started her career as a host on G4’s “Attack of the Show!”. Her acting career includes significant roles in Aaron Sorkin’s HBO drama series “The Newsroom,” and films such as “Magic Mike,” “The Predator,” “Office Christmas Party,” and “X-Men: Apocalypse.”