October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and in recognition of this, 24/7 Wall St. wanted to showcase some well-known women who have defeated the disease. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, with roughly 237,000 new cases each year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
About 1 in 8 women in the U.S. are said to develop breast cancer during their lifetime and it is the second leading cause of death from cancer among women. As deadly as it can be, many women are able to prevail over breast cancer.
24/7 Wall St. compiled a list of 25 famous women who survived their battle with breast cancer. It features women who were diagnosed at a range of ages and from a variety of professions. We only included women who have completed treatment and are now cancer-free.
Click here to read about 25 famous women who have beat breast cancer.
Women who have an immediate family member, such as a mother, sister, or even a daughter, with a history of breast cancer are at much greater risk of developing cancer themselves — about twice as likely — as women without such history. Between 5% and 10% of breast cancer cases are considered to be hereditary, caused by an inherited mutation mainly in two genes, BRCA1 or BRCA2.
Women sometimes have a mastectomy if they have one of these abnormal genes to eradicate the cancer and increase the likelihood of it never returning, even if they don’t necessarily need the procedure. Actress Angelina Jolie, for example, was never diagnosed with breast cancer, but had a double mastectomy as a preventive measure. Her mother battled the disease for a decade and died at 56. Jolie carries the inherited mutated BRCA1 gene, and doctors informed her that she was at high risk of developing breast cancer.
While Jolie was not included on this list because she was never diagnosed with breast cancer, her surgeries are noteworthy. Having the procedure reduced her risk of developing breast cancer from 87% to less than 5%. Of the 25 women on this list, 14 have undergone at least a partial mastectomy.
Also not included on this list is Olivia Newton-John, who is in the midst of her third battle with breast cancer. The singer and actress had a string of hits in the 1970s before her best-known role as Sandy in the 1978 film “Grease.” She was first diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in 1992, and, after having a mastectomy and enduring nine months of chemotherapy, her cancer had cleared. Unfortunately, after 21 cancer-free years, the disease resurfaced, and spread to her shoulder. As if twice wasn’t enough, she was diagnosed with a tumor in her back last year at the age of 68.
Breast cancer is most commonly diagnosed in women who are 55 years and older. However, women can start having annual mammograms at 40. Women who are at high risk can begin the screening process even earlier. Actress Christina Applegate was diagnosed with breast cancer at 36 — the youngest age at diagnosis on this list. Applegate’s mother had breast cancer, too. At the other end of the spectrum is Judy Blume, who was diagnosed at 74.
Eleven women on this list were diagnosed with breast cancer while in their 40s and 10 were diagnosed in their 50s. Three women have since passed, although not from their bout with breast cancer. Shirley Temple Black, Happy Rockefeller, and Betty Ford all go down in history as women who raised awareness of the disease during the 1970s, a time when such ailments were not publicly discussed. All three women defeated breast cancer and lived long lives.
Source: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
1. Betsey Johnson (b. 1942)
> Profession: Fashion designer
> Age at diagnosis: 57
Renowned fashion designer and New York City street fashion pioneer, Betsey Johnson, had breast cancer in 1999 at the age of 57. At the time, one of the fashion designer’s saline breast implants had ruptured. A few weeks after removing the implants, she felt a grape-sized lump at the site of the scar, which turned out to be cancerous. During the lumpectomy, radiation, and six months of chemotherapy no one but her daughter knew that the woman who still ended her fashion shows by doing a cartwheel was fighting for her life. By 2000, Johnson was declared in remission, and to this day she designs charitable apparel during Breast Cancer Awareness Month as a way to give back.
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2. Betty Ford (1918-2011)
> Profession: First lady/activist
> Age at diagnosis: 56
Betty Ford was diagnosed with breast cancer just weeks after her husband Gerald became president following the resignation of Richard Nixon in 1974. The first lady’s diagnosis served as a turning point in raising awareness for breast cancer. In the 70s, it was almost taboo to speak openly about the disease. Ford, however, didn’t hold back on informing people of her ailment. She had a mastectomy to eradicate the cancer. Ford also became an advocate for the blossoming Equal Rights Movement and pushed for women’s right to choose. Ford was named one of Time magazine’s Women of the Year in 1975. She beat cancer and lived to be 93.
Source: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images
3. Carly Simon (b. 1945)
> Profession: Musician
> Age at diagnosis: 52
Carly Simon, a musician who won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and a Grammy Award for her song, “Let the River Run,” was told she had breast cancer at the age of 52. Simon, whose father co-founded publishing company Simon & Schuster, was diagnosed in 1997 after several lumps were removed from her breasts. She underwent chemotherapy, a mastectomy, and reconstructive surgery. She has been cancer-free for nearly two decades and is now 73 years old.
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4. Christina Applegate (b. 1971)
> Profession: Actress
> Age at diagnosis: 36
Actress Christina Applegate, who played Kelly Bundy in the 1980s-90s series “Married with Children,” was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 when she was 36. Applegate’s mother had breast cancer, which put her at greater risk of developing the disease. Knowing her family history, Applegate’s doctor ordered a series of tests to see if she had any traces of the cancer. A malignant tumor was discovered through an MRI. Early detection saved her life. She had a bilateral mastectomy to significantly reduce the chances of the cancer from coming back or spreading elsewhere.
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5. Cynthia Nixon (b. 1966)
> Profession: Actress, activist
> Age at diagnosis: 36
Best known for her role as Miranda Hobbes in the comedy and drama series “Sex and the City,” Cynthia Nixon was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002. She did not inform the public of her diagnosis until after having undergone a lumpectomy and radiation. About six years after she made her battle with cancer public, she announced she was an official ambassador for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation. Nearly 10 years cancer-free, Nixon is again in the spotlight this year — the 52-year-old actress is running for New York state governor.
Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Images
6. Diahann Carroll (b. 1935)
> Profession: Actress
> Age at diagnosis: 63
One of the oldest breast cancer survivors on this list, Diahann Carroll is now 83. Carroll is the first black actress to star in her own series. Her acting career began in 1954, but her big break didn’t come until 1968, when she was cast as the lead in the comedy series “Julia.” Carroll is also known for her role as Jane Burke in the hit drama series “Grey’s Anatomy.” She was diagnosed in 1998 at the age of 63. Her treatment plan involved a lumpectomy and 36 rounds of radiation. She was able to avoid chemotherapy.
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7. Giuliana Rancic (b. 1974)
> Profession: TV personality
> Age at diagnosis: 36
Giuliana Rancic has been one of the prominent faces of “E! News” since she landed the gig as co-host in 1999. Rancic and her husband Bill had been trying to have children for years, and it wasn’t until the third round of in vitro fertilization that doctors noticed an abnormality. In a mammogram preceding the IVF procedure, an early-stage tumor was detected. Doctors attempted to remove the lump, but the procedure failed to eradicate all of the cancerous cells. Knowing that chemotherapy and radiation would hinder their chances of conceiving, Rancic decided to have a mastectomy. Today, the couple has a child thanks to a gestational surrogate, and Rancic lives cancer-free.
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8. Gloria Steinem (b. 1934)
> Profession: Women’s rights activist
> Age at diagnosis: 52
The famed feminist, author, and political activist Gloria Steinem at 84 is the oldest cancer survivor on this list. Steinem was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 52 in 1986. She underwent a lumpectomy and radiation and has been free of cancer ever since. She still plays an active role in advocating for women’s equality, giving lectures and speaking at events across the U.S., including the 2017 Women’s March in Washington, D.C.
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9. Happy Rockefeller (1926-2015)
> Profession: Socialite
> Age at diagnosis: 48
The socialite Margaretta “Happy” Rockefeller entered the limelight after she divorced her first husband in 1963 to marry New York Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller. It’s believed that Nelson lost the Republican presidential nomination in 1964 because he also divorced his wife so that he could be with Happy, who was 18 years his junior. Ten years later, as Nelson waited for the Senate’s approval for him to be vice president to President Gerald Ford, Happy was diagnosed with breast cancer. She endured a double mastectomy around the same time that President Ford’s wife Betty had a mastectomy for her breast cancer. Both women are credited with boosting awareness about the importance of early detection.
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10. Hoda Kotb (b. 1964)
> Profession: News anchor
> Age at diagnosis: 42
“Today” show anchor Hoda Kotb is a breast cancer survivor. In 2007 she received the dreaded phone call from her doctor that confirmed she had breast cancer. Kotb had a mastectomy followed by reconstructive surgery. Luckily, she didn’t require chemotherapy because the cancer had not spread to her lymph nodes. Instead, she took tamoxifen, a drug used to treat early stage breast cancer post surgery. This drug, like chemotherapy and radiation, can cause infertility. At the age of 52, Kotb is cancer-free and has adopted a baby girl.
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11. Jaclyn Smith (b. 1945)
> Profession: Actress
> Age at diagnosis: 57
Best known for her roles in “Charlie’s Angels” and “The Adventurers,” Jaclyn Smith was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 57. Doctors found the cancer in a mammogram in 2002. A lumpectomy and radiation followed her diagnosis. Smith credits her recovery to positive energy from her girlfriends and independent research that her husband, a pediatric cardiac surgeon, assisted her in. Smith remains cancer-free today at 72.
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12. Judy Blume (b. 1938)
> Profession: Author
> Age at diagnosis: 74
Author of classic children and young adult books such as “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” and “Blubber,” Judy Blume was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 at 74 years old. As is the case with nearly every woman who gets breast cancer, her diagnosis utterly shocked her. She didn’t have any family history of the disease, hadn’t eaten red meat 30 years prior to her diagnosis, never smoked, and stayed away from alcohol. Blume’s case is an example of cancer occurring from random chance. The author is now 80 years old, living free of cancer.
Source: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
13. Julia Louis-Dreyfus (b. 1961)
> Profession: Actress
> Age at diagnosis: 56
Julia Louis-Dreyfus entered the limelight for her role as Elaine Benes in the comedy series “Seinfeld.” She was diagnosed with breast cancer just one day following the 2017 Emmy Awards. She had surgery and received her last round of chemotherapy in February of this year. Louis-Dreyfus has since returned to play the starring role in HBO’s comedy series “Veep.”
Source: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
14. Kathy Bates (b. 1948)
> Profession: Actress
> Age at diagnosis: 55
Long-time actress Kathy Bates is known for playing a range of roles in classic films such as “Fried Green Tomatoes” and “Titanic.” Bates, now 70, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2003 and then breast cancer in 2012. The cancers are often associated with one another because they are both caused by mutations in the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2. However, in Bates’ case, she tested negative for both of those gene mutations. She does have family history, though, with her mother, aunt and niece having had breast cancer. Bates decided to have a bilateral mastectomy. Now cancer-free, she appeared in six different series and movies in 2018 alone.
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15. Maggie Smith (b. 1934)
> Profession: Actress
> Age at diagnosis: 73
One of the most acclaimed actresses of all time, Maggie Smith, now 83, was diagnosed with breast cancer 10 years ago. In 2008, Smith endured a brutal fight with chemotherapy during the filming of “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.” Smith didn’t believe she would make it past treatment because of its toll on her physical and mental health. She also didn’t believe she would return to acting. A decade later, Smith has made a full recovery and continues to act, namely in the “Downton Abbey” series, which aired from 2010 to 2015.
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16. Melissa Etheridge (b. 1961)
> Profession: Singer
> Age at diagnosis: 43
Rock singer Melissa Etheridge learned at an early age that she could write songs about hardship. She started playing guitar at eight years old, but little did that young girl know she would be writing about having breast cancer 35 years later. In 2004, Etheridge was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer, undergoing a lumpectomy, the removal of several problematic lymph nodes, and five rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. Etheridge wrote a song called “I Run for Life,” which is dedicated to breast cancer survivors. She donated all of the song’s royalties to breast cancer charities.
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17. Rita Wilson (b. 1956)
> Profession: Actress
> Age at diagnosis: 58
Rita Wilson, the actress known for her roles in films such as “Sleepless in Seattle” and “Jingle All the Way” and spouse of Tom Hanks, is a breast cancer survivor. She was diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma in 2015 at the age of 58. WIlson had a double mastectomy and was able to avoid chemotherapy and radiation. Today, she is cancer-free thanks to a friend encouraging her to get a second opinion after her first scan did not indicate any trace of cancer.
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18. Robin Roberts (b. 1960)
> Profession: News anchor
> Age at diagnosis: 46
“Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 at the age of 46. She did a self breast exam and found the lump. A biopsy confirmed that the tumor was cancerous. Roberts had a partial mastectomy and chemotherapy to treat the cancer. But her battle didn’t end after her cancer cleared. Five years after her diagnosis, she developed myelodysplastic syndrome, a rare blood disease that can result from cancer treatment. Despite the vicious battle, Roberts remains a co-host for “GMA” and is back to doing things she enjoys like Pilates and cycling.
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19. Sandra Day O’Connor (b. 1930)
> Profession: Former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
> Age at diagnosis: 58
Sandra Day O’Connor was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1988. The first female Supreme Court Justice kept her treatment on the downlow for a few years. In 1994, she revealed that she had had a mastectomy. Prior to this disclosure, court officials would only say that she had “undergone surgery.” The surgery paid off — O’Connor is 88 years old today.
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20. Sandra Lee (b. 1966)
> Profession: Chef
> Age at diagnosis: 48
Celebrity chef Sandra Lee is known as the host of television series on different networks, including Food Network, Cooking Channel, and HGTV. In 2015, she was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ, a form of breast cancer that is highly treatable if detected early. Unfortunately, Lee’s case was more severe. Her lumpectomy did not result in clear margins, a medical term meaning all of the cancer cells have been removed. After undergoing a double mastectomy she contracted an infection that required another surgery. Now cancer-free, Lee has been active in raising awareness. She and her partner, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, promoted breast cancer legislation in 2017 that will improve early detection and give residents of New York state better access to breast cancer care.
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21. Shannen Doherty (b. 1971)
> Profession: Actress
> Age at diagnosis: 44
Actress Shannen Doherty is perhaps best known for her roles in the television series “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Charmed,” and the comedy film “Heathers.” Doherty was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 44, and underwent a mastectomy, several rounds of chemotherapy, and radiation. Evidently, her cancer could have been detected earlier if her health coverage had not lapsed — her former manager neglected to pay her health insurance premiums on time.
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22. Sheryl Crow (b. 1962)
> Profession: Singer
> Age at diagnosis: 44
Sheryl Crow is a well-regarded singer and songwriter, and has won nine Grammys. Crow was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006 shortly after calling off a short-lived engagement to cyclist Lance Armstrong. Crow’s treatment involved a lumpectomy and seven weeks of radiation. At 56, Crow remains cancer-free and lives a quieter life in Nashville, Tennessee.
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23. Shirley Temple Black (1928-2014)
> Profession: Actress/diplomat
> Age at diagnosis: 44
The renowned child movie star of the 1930s, Shirley Temple Black was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 44. Black — along with Betty Ford — was one of the first high-profile women to talk about her battle with breast cancer. Diagnosed in 1972, when those in the limelight were reluctant to talk about any sort of ailment, Black made it known that she was having a mastectomy. She received more than 50,000 letters from well-wishers. Black lived the next 40 years of her life as a devoted advocate for breast cancer awareness.
Source: Jason Kempin / Getty Images
24. Suzanne Somers (b. 1946)
> Profession: Actress
> Age at diagnosis: 54
Suzanne Somers, known for her roles in the television shows “Three’s Company” and “She’s the Sheriff,” was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer at the age of 54 in 2001. She opted out of a traditional treatment plan, undergoing a lumpectomy and radiation, but not chemotherapy. Somers instead adopted a holistic approach, including Iscador injections. Iscador is a mistletoe extract and alternative treatment that some believe can eradicate cancer. Somers injected the extract for a decade and claims to be healthier than ever. Her journey with breast cancer inspired her to switch career paths from actress to motivational speaker.
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25. Wanda Sykes (b. 1964)
> Age at diagnosis: 47
Wanda Sykes is an actress, comedian, and breast cancer survivor. Sykes, who has appeared in comedy series such as “Black-ish” and “Broad City,” was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ in 2011. DCIS is also known as stage zero breast cancer because it is not life-threatening but has the potential to become invasive if left untreated. Sykes decided to have a double mastectomy to reduce her chances of developing a more severe case of breast cancer in the future.
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