The Missouri Senator, who is 62, shared that she was diagnosed after a routine mammogram and expects to recover fully.
Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill shared some very personal information this week: She's been diagnosed with breast cancer. The 62-year-old revealed the news on her Tumblr account, where she wrote that she was diagnosed after a regular mammogram and will be taking three weeks away from the Senate to get treatment. Thankfully, she expects to recover fully, and plans to be back in the Senate ASAP.
I very recently learned that I have breast cancer. It was detected through a regular mammogram. It's a little scary, but my prognosis is good and I expect a full recovery. I will be in St Louis for the next 3 weeks receiving treatment. During this time my staff will continue to assist Missourians and I will be posting on my Senate website (McCaskill.senate.gov) how I would have voted on any matters that come before the Senate during my absence—which I'll also enter into the Congressional record. Additionally, I'll be submitting questions in writing for any missed Senate hearings. Thank you for the honor of serving you in the Senate.
While little is known about McCaskill's personal diagnosis, her condition is unfortunately all too common. Not including some types of skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer affecting women. According to the American Cancer Society, around 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in their lifetime. The good news in McCaskill's case is that it sounds like the condition was caught early, and she has a good prognosis. Her story also reinforces the importance of following suggested mammogram guidelines—the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends that women get mammograms every two years when they are between the ages of 50 to 74.
McCaskill choosing to share her health news publicly was an incredibly brave step, and one that will hopefully inform a larger conversation about breast cancer and healthcare. Many other famous women who have been affected have chosen to speak out in order to raise awareness about their experiences with breast cancer and related conditions. Newscaster Robin Roberts kept Good Morning America viewers updated after her breast cancer diagnosis in 2007, undergoing eight chemotherapy treatments followed by 6½ weeks of radiation treatment. Roberts was also diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a disease of the bone marrow linked to radiation treatments and chemotherapy. Actress Angelina Jolie has raised awareness about the BRCA genetic mutations, which put women at an increased risk for developing breast and ovarian cancer. In 2014, Jolie revealed that she had tested positive for the mutation and undergone a double mastectomy as a preventative measure. Jolie also had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed to help reduce her risk of ovarian cancer, and has spoken about going through early menopause as a result.
Of course, breast cancer affects non-famous women, and many survivors have chosen to share their stories and experiences publicly, too. Earlier this year, British presenter Rowena Kincaid shared an important photo on Facebook showing a rash on her breast that turned out to be cancer. Leslie Jackson, a mother of two from Washington state, celebrated her breasts by having a plaster cast made of them before she underwent a mastectomy. And model Mieko Rye shared powerful before-and-after photos of her breast cancer journey.
After hearing of her breast cancer diagnosis, many of McCaskill's friends and followers shared their best wishes for the Senator on social media. Fellow Senators like Elizabeth Warren, Barbara Mikulski, Joni Ernst, Tammy Baldwin, and Jeanne Shaheen tweeted their support. News anchors including Katie Couric, Rachel Maddow, and Jake Tapper shared healing wishes. And Hillary Clinton rightfully pointed out that cancer is no match for McCaskill.