Chris Evert shares cancer diagnosis

Former world number woman’s tennis player and television pundit Chris Evert, shares her cancer diagnosis so that others may benefit from her experience. Evert who has stage 1 ovarian cancer, lost her younger sister in 2020 from the same disease.
Former world number one Chris Evert has opened up about her diagnosis of stage 1 ovarian cancer.
Evert now 67, revealed she is currently undergoing six weeks of chemotherapy, saying: “I feel very lucky that they caught it early and expect positive results from my chemo plan.”
According to a recent article on ESPN, Evert said a malignant tumour was found during a preventative hysterectomy in December.
The tennis star’s younger sister and former pro tennis player Jeanne Evert Dubin, died from ovarian cancer in 2020 at the age of 62. Sadly her cancer was at an advanced stage when it was detected having shown no noticeable symptoms,
Her sister’s cancer had spread before it was detected, as she had no noticeable symptoms.
Evert said watching her sister go through treatment was “devastating and traumatising” adding that: “When I go into chemo, she is my inspiration. I’ll be thinking of her. And she’ll get me through it.”
Evert said she too experienced no symptoms: “I just couldn’t believe it. I had been working out, doing CrossFit, playing tennis. I didn’t feel anything different.”
Advances in genetic testing have worked in Evert’s favour, with her blood tests revealing a pathogenic variant of the BRCA1 gene, something that her sister’s test would not have found.
She and her doctor decided a preventative hysterectomy was necessary at which point the cancer was found.
Dr Joel Cardenas, her surgeon said: “70-80% of ovarian cancer is diagnosed at Stage 3 or 4. Three months or so from now, she’d be Stage 3 or 4. If nothing is done, it reaches the abdomen.”
Evert said she had chosen to share her diagnosis to try to help others saying: “Ovarian cancer is a very deadly disease. Any information is power.”
Dr Cardenas said the key to an early diagnosis, and in turn, a better prognosis, is keeping up to date with exams, and knowing your family history. He said: “Ovarian cancer is rare,” he said. “However, if a patient has a family history, we encourage genetic testing and counselling.”
Evert, who has chosen to share her cancer diagnosis, won 18 Grand Slam singles titles during her career and is now a broadcaster covering the sport for ESPN. She will appear from home at times during the network’s coverage of the Australian Open.


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Written by

Peter McLaren-Kennedy

Originally from South Africa, Peter is based on the Costa Blanca and is a web reporter for the Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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