Monday, November 11, 2013

Amy Robach Has Breast Cancer

Good Morning America anchor Amy Robach announced today that she has breast cancer and is going to have a double mastectomy. Amy didn't know she had breast cancer until she agreed to have a mammogram live on the air last month. She says that even though she is 40 she never has had a mammogram and kept putting it off. If not for Good Morning America making the women take the tests on the air she says she would never have gone to visit a doctor until it was probably too late to treat her cancer.

Amy doesn't have any history of breast cancer in her family. She is married to Andrew Shue and has two children and three step-children. The entire family was on the show this morning.


33 comments:

  1. Geez, that's awful!

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  2. 40 is when most women should have their first. I hope she gets perfectly well and beats his!

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  4. So sorry for her and anyone that has to endure cancer. It really makes me want to see a "true" accounting of where the "Find a Cure" dollars are going. It makes no sense that we can treat or cure many diseases but this killer is still taking lives.

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    1. Cleodacat: I hear your outrage. It's my understanding that the pink ribbon people are heavy on the pay for administrating the foundation but not a lot goes to finding a cure. Someone here will be smart enough to put up a link that shows how much charities spend for said cause vs their own pay. I'm just waking up so I can't find it right now.

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  6. Andrew Shue from Melrpse Place?

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  7. I know no medical details about Amy, so whatever I say here is a generalization, but there is now a school of thought that extreme measures, like a double masectomy, against very early forms of cancer are not necessary, and may do more harm than good.

    I live in Europe, and mammograms before 50 are simply not done here: our much-admired government-funded health care system does not pay for them.

    I also have several friends in the U.S. that have had radical breast surgery in their 40s. Is it necessary, or is the for-profit, law-suit adverse US health care system advocating aggressive treatment that could be avoided? I'm no doctor and I don't know the answer.

    I will say that people who have cancer in the country where I currently live often have to wait a year or two to get their 'free' government treatment.

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    1. I guess that's better than having no healthcare to wait for.

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  8. The guidelines in the US and now Canada is that they want women to get a baseline mammogram at age 40 - my doctor was ahead of her time she was having women do it at age 40 over 10 years ago even though it wasn't the Canadian policy particularly if there was a history in the family. They want a good picture of everything when you are younger, and hopefully have no cancer, so they can use that to compare future mammograms. Problem with mammograms as I have read is that something like over 50 per cent if not more of things that look suspicious aren't so you get everyone worried for nothing often. Ultrasounds are often more informative but they only use the ultrasounds once they find something suspicious I believe.

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  9. Nutty-flavor: her doctors would have done a biopsy and other diagnostic tests to determine the stage and type of breast cancer. Hers may be the kind that is diffuse and aggressive and a double mastectomy is part of the treatment. Younger women tend to have more aggressive cancer. I went through this journey myself 5 years ago and I do not think a doctor would offer double mastectomy as a treatment option if it was not indicated.

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  10. I don't know the results over time or comparisons, but if you remove all the breast tissue and you got it in time, before any cells could migrate, would it not stand to reason that you reduce the risk of recurrence to almost nil? Certainly if you have ovarian cancer no one would question that the treatment includes removing those ovaries post haste. The problem with ovarian cancer is the cancer cells can shed and can hide in your body undetected, it is very insidious that way. Which is why recurrence is still quite high for ovarian cancer even after the ovaries were removed.

    And it is hard to say if the doctors are pushing it or patients are making that choice for more peace of mind especially if you have children. Depends on what stage, the type of lump etc. If you don't have the gene for breast cancer I would imagine someone already has more than Stage 1 cancer if they are considering something that radical.

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  11. I'm 22 and I've had a mammogram before. I get them every two years. Never too early.

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  12. Despite the awareness of the disease, sadly so many women are finding out too late. Early detection is key.
    I hate f$&@:79 cancer.

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  13. So sad for her and all who suffer from this disease.

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  14. oh my goodness. :(

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  15. So Nutty, is that a good thing, making people with cancer wait for treatment? My husband was "treated" for injuries in a European hospital and he's hurt for life, so I'll take American health care, thanks.

    Got a mammogram recently at 32. All clear, thankfully. Better safe than sorry!

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  16. Kloie if I read Nutty correctly she didn't appear to be very happy with her countries cancer treatment. Waiting a year for care on cancer sounds almost like a death sentence.

    I wish this woman all the best. And glad something just for her job actually ended up saving her life.

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  17. "Doing something "

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  18. I wish her a quick recovery and a long and healthy life. Sadly I've known several women lost to breast cancer, and personally have raised over $10k for the cause. But, the hardest truth is that no company really wants to "cure" cancer, they want better ways to treat cancer. It is going to take strong non-profits to push for cures that the financially driven corporate entities don't want - would hurt their revenues too much.

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  19. I am forty two. I have been getting Mammograms every year since I was thirty five. This year, in March, my Mammogram showed what I have feared. I got my diagnosis three days after Easter.
    I had lumpectomy in April and began radiation in late May. I am going on four months post radiation and every day I feel better. Early diagnosis is the key and more women need to get their mammograms. I asked my Doctor if my cancer would have been found via self exam and he said that by the time it would have been found, it would have been much more serious than it was.
    To those that are fighting cancer right now-be strong. Rely on your friends, family, neighbors, religious groups. Ask the MD and staff questions if you feel like you are not getting the info you need, get mad when you need to get mad, cry when you need to, but celebrate every day.

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  20. that's too bad-she seems like a really nice person

    wish her all the best

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  21. I am 44 & a few years ago one of my breasts was sore, so I got an ultrasound. I think ultrasounds are the way to go. Mammograms can often miss cancer up against the breastbone, as well as cancer in a dense breast. I have also never understood checking for cancer by using radiation, which could possibly bring on cancer in some people. Just my opinion.

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  22. I wish her recovery and future good health. Cleo< I agree with you; with the billions and billions and billions of money raised for breast cancer, why isnt it cured?? I think alot of money goes to making more chemicals to treat it with, so big pharm stays rich. Work on CURE, not treatment!

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  23. @Moosefan - cheers to your continued good health!!

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  24. @Moosefan - I wish continued good health to you. My husband finished treatment on Oct 10th. It's a long hard road. All the best to you <3

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  25. @ kaye & moosefan - congratulations on being diagnosed & treated. It's a rough road and I wish you both continued good health.

    There are so many different types of breast cancer, with sub-groups, that finding one cure for all isn't going to happen.

    There are many BC patients & survivors who are in their 20's & 30's. Regular self-exam is extremely important, especially for the under-40's. A good time to start regular mammograms is age 35, if your MDs will order.

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  26. I watched this morning and it was very emotional. I had no idea she was married to Andrew Shue. He was there this morning too. I'm glad she finally got the mammogram.

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  27. There are a number of countries in "Europe" perhaps you could be a bit more specific? I would have no worries being injured while traveling in Germany, but not sure how I would feel about getting hurt in the UK, I have family in both and the latter complain far more than the former.

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