Nicole Eggert's Latest Health Update: 'I'm Scared'
- Former “Baywatch” star Nicole Eggert, 53, is currently undergoing treatment for stage 2 cribriform carcinoma breast cancer.
- Recently, she took to Instagram to share that she is concerned about the side effects of the hormone blockers she’s been taking for treatment — and asked her community to share their experiences.
- She said she is considering going off them in favor of “integrative” treatment.
- It’s worth noting that many oncologists these days recommend incorporating integrative medicine — which could be things like adjusting diet, workout routines, and mindfulness and meditation — into treatment plans, but most stress that the recommended treatment regimen should still be followed.
- Eggert has been candid about the ups and downs of her cancer treatment, recently sharing that her two daughters give her the strength to keep fighting.
“So many of us go through chemo and through radiation, and then we go on these hormone blockers … before the heart even has a chance to recover, they put us on these hormone blockers that block estrogen,” Eggert says in the Instagram video.
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“I really want to [fight cancer] without these hormone blockers,” she continued, later adding “…I am scared to go off of them.”
The actress’ comments section was filled with women sharing their experiences, with many urging Eggert to keep taking the recommended medication.
It’s worth noting that many oncologists these days recommend incorporating integrative medicine — which could be things like adjusting diet, workout routines, and mindfulness and meditation — into treatment plans, but most stress that the recommended treatment regimen should still be followed as well.
Dr. Ann Partridge shares a warning about alternative cancer treatments.
Eggert’s candid update on her cancer comes a few weeks after she shared a sweet ode to her daughters, who she said gave her the strength to continue her cancer battle.
Eggert, who has two daughters, 27-year-old Dilyn Elizabeth Eggert and 13-year-old Keegan Eggert, took to Instagram last month to share a sweet statement on how her children have helped her through adversity.
The post, reshared from an account dubbed Her Serenity, read, “If you asked me … who saved me from giving up, my answer will always be … my daughter.”
Eggert captioned the post, “DAUGHTERS – Plural for this lucky Mama #breastcancer #breastcancerwarrior #breastcancerawarness #feelyourselfup.”
Nicole Eggert’s Cancer Journey
Eggert was diagnosed in December 2023 with stage 2 cribriform carcinoma breast cancer after discovering a lump in her breast while performing a self-breast exam.
Stage 2 breast cancers are either larger than stage 1 tumors or have moved to a few nearby lymph nodes. Treatment will likely be some combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. If chemotherapy is also needed after surgery, the radiation is delayed until the chemo is done.
A self-breast exam is an easy way to keep watch for anything abnormal regarding your breasts. It involves feeling the breast for any swelling, bulging, or changes in the shape of the breast or nipple. Checking for signs of redness, rashes, or discharge is also part of this exam. If anything is found to be concerning, you should contact your doctor. It’s important to note that self-exams should be done along with regular mammograms.
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Eggert said she initially started experiencing “terrible pain” and rapid weight gain that she first dismissed for signs of menopause. However, after she discovered a lump during a self-exam, a mammogram and multiple biopsies confirmed that she had breast cancer.
The rare type of breast cancer Eggert has is often slow-growing and low-grade, according to Breast Cancer Now.
“I can definitely feel it. It’s there. It needs to be taken out. So it’s just a matter of do I have to do treatment before the surgery or can they perform the surgery and then I do the treatment after,” Eggert told People last year.
Eggert’s treatment plan included eight rounds of chemotherapy over the course of six months, and was followed by surgery to remove the cancer via a mastectomy.
She also underwent 18 rounds of radiation treatment within four weeks. Next, she was set to be “medically induced into menopause” by taking pills Letrozole (Femara) and Kisqali (ribociclib), as well as Zoladex (goserelin), an injection, likely to reduce recurrence risk.
Hormone Therapies for Breast Cancer: Aromatase Inhibitor
In postmenopausal women, there is still some production of the hormone estrogen even though the ovaries have largely shut down. Drugs called aromatase inhibitors, like one of the ones Eggert is taking, are used to block the activity of the aromatase enzyme and, therefore, stop the production of estrogen. This helps slow down the growth of tumor cells that are sensitive to estrogen.
In most premenopausal women, the ovaries produce too much aromatase for these inhibitors to work effectively. However there is some evidence of benefit of these drugs in premenopausal women if their risk of recurrence is high enough that they’re also getting chemotherapy, but the evidence is not strong, so you should discuss this question with your doctor.
Examples of aromatase inhibitors include anastrozole (Arimidex), letrozole (Femara), and exemestane (Aromasin). All of these are in the form of pills that are taken once a day
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