Famous Broadway Actress Sara Chase Is Battling Fallopian Tubes Cancer While Working & Hoping Her Story Will Help Others: ‘You’ve Got To Follow The Guidelines’

During a recent interview with Broadway.com, Chase offered insight into her battle with cancer, saying, “Right before rehearsal started, I had my fallopian tubes out preventatively.”

Chase, who had knowledge that she carried the BRCA gene and family history of cancer, decided to get her fallopian tubes out as a “preemptive course of action,” something her doctor recommended.

“I thought if I didn’t get it done now, it would be a year before Gatsby was over,” she recounted.

Then, during the second week of rehearsal, she received a call from her doctor telling her they found cancer in her fallopian tubes—ultimately recomending she undergo a full hysterectomy and six rounds of chemotherapy.

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When Chase questioned whether it was still possible to fulfill her Broadway duties, her doctor worked with her schedule.

“We scheduled the surgery on the first day of tech. I recovered for three days, and on the fourth day I went back to the theater and no one knew,” she explained.

Although Chase had initially kept her diagnosis a secret, her castmates became like family and she felt she had to tell them.

“We had gotten so close at the Paper Mill that it would be weird to hide something like that from them. I was carrying a giant secret, but at least they knew that,” she continued. “I had to explain why I was a little more expanded.”

Chase told the rest of her company the day after her first treatment. And now she’s going public with her cancer story to spread awareness and inspire others to get checked when needed.

She said, “Truth be told, it was recommended that I get my fallopian tubes out a year or two earlier and I didn’t do it. That’s why you’ve got to follow the guidelines. I hope me telling my story will help other people not have to go through this.”

“You need to warn people that there’s [cancer screening] recommendations for a reason,” her doctor advised her to tell others, and Chase added, “If you know what you can do to help yourself, you should do it.”

Overall, Chase admitted to Broadway.com it’s been a wild year, and she often finds herself saying, “I’m living my greatest dream and my nightmare at the same time.” However, she’s maintained an optimistic attitude throughout it all and we surely admire her for that.

Choosing to Continue Working During Cancer Treatment

Sara Chase’s decision to keep working is something many SurvivorNet experts recommend patients do if they can continue to work.

“We always encourage people to continue to work if they can,” says Sarah Stapleton, a clinical social worker at Montefiore Medical Center. “I think it creates a sense of normalcy for patients.”

If you’re able to work, you’ll be busy, and you may not be worrying all the time about how your treatment is going, Stapleton adds.

Sometimes, cancer can make you feel isolated and lonely, and being around people for work can alleviate feelings of loneliness.

It would be best to talk with your doctor before continuing to work during treatment. Ask your physician what you can and cannot do so you don’t disrupt ongoing treatment.

Remember, sometimes cancer treatment can cause fatigue, leaving you unable to fulfill your duties as you once could. Fortunately, some on-the-job accommodations can make working during cancer treatment much easier.

WATCH: Choosing to Work During Cancer Treatment

The Rehabilitation Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act protects people with job problems related to cancer. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) may also benefit others. This law allows many people with serious illnesses to take unpaid leave to get medical care or manage their symptoms.

Your human resources department should be able to share with you your options. In some situations, employers must accommodate a qualified applicant or employee with a disability unless the employer can show it would be an undue hardship to do so. This could mean making changes to work schedules, equipment, or policies.

Laurie Ostacher, a behavioral health clinician at Stanford Health Care, recommends that cancer patients discuss accommodations they may need upon returning to work with their employers.

“Patients need to let their employer know [they’re] going to need some flexibility… Because there are going to be days when you’re not as energetic or feeling as well as other days,” Ostacher explained.

Understanding Fallopian Tube Cancer

According to MD Anderson Cancer Center, fallopian tube cancer often forms in the cells that line the inner part of the fallopian tubes, which are the two small passageways that connect the ovaries to the uterus. A woman’s ovaries (prior to menopause) produce eggs which travel through the fallopian tubes to the uterus.

“The main type of primary fallopian tube cancer is high grade serous adenocarcinoma. These cancers start in the cells lining the fallopian tubes,” MD Anderson Cancer Center explains.

“Primary fallopian tube cancers are often indistinguishable from primary ovarian cancers because women present at very advanced stages. In fact, studies have demonstrated that most high grade serous ovarian cancers likely arose from fallopian tube epithelium.”

Gynecologic oncologist Dr. Beth Karlan, on why it’s important to push for a diagnosis if you have symptoms of ovarian cancer 

Risk factors for fallopian tube cancer may include:

• Women can be diagnosed with this type of cancer at any age, however, it’s often found in women between the ages of 60 to 66
• Family history of fallopian tube or ovarian cancer
• Gene mutations (like the BRCA gene mutations, particularly BRCA1, and Lynch syndrome
• The more children a woman has, the higher her risk

Ovarian Cancer Overview

It’s important to understand that most ovarian cancers actually begin in the fallopian tubes. Additionally, ovarian cancer has been called the “cancer that whispers,” because women often don’t experience symptoms until their cancer has already reached its late stages. The symptoms that do appear at first are hard to identify as cancer. This subtlety of symptoms makes it essential for women to know the warning signs, and report them to their doctor, say SurvivorNet’s experts.

We Are So Much Stronger Than We Realize – Ovarian Cancer Survivor Helene Unger On How She Found the Strength to Fight

The term ovarian cancer refers to a number of different tumors that grow in the ovary. The ovaries produce the sex hormone, estrogen, as well as eggs. Every woman has two ovaries, one on either side of her uterus. The fallopian tube picks up the egg from the ovary and carries it to the uterus for fertilization.

Many ovarian cancers actually begin in the fallopian tubes. A few cancerous cells first grow on the fallopian tubes and then, as the fallopian tubes brush over the ovary, these cells stick to the ovaries and eventually grow to form a tumor.

Medical oncologist Dr. Derrick Haslem explains why women with a strong family history of ovarian cancer should talk to their doctor about genetic testing 

There isn’t just one ovarian cancer; there are many different types that occur at different stages of life. In fact, researchers have identified over 30 types, but these three are the most common:

• Epithelial. About 90% of ovarian cancers are epithelial, which means the cancer cells are located on the outer layer of the ovary. Most epithelial tumors are not cancerous, but when they are cancerous, they can spread before they’re detected.
• Stromal. This rare type of tumor forms in the connective tissue that holds the ovary together and produces estrogen and progesterone.
• Germ cell. These tumors, which develop in the cells that produce the eggs, are more likely to affect a single ovary, rather than both ovaries. When a teen or young woman is diagnosed with ovarian cancer, it’s usually the germ cell type. The good news is that most women with these types of ovarian cancers can be cured.

What Increases Your Risk for Ovarian Cancer?

The jury is out on exactly what causes ovarian cancer. Considering that both pregnancy and taking birth control pills lower the risk for ovarian cancer, and both reduce the number of times a woman ovulates throughout her lifetime, some researchers think that there may be a link between ovulation and the risk of developing ovarian cancer.

A few factors might increase the risk for ovarian cancer. Having these factors doesn’t mean you will definitely get this cancer, only that your risk is slightly higher.

Your risk for ovarian cancer may be increased if you:

• Have gone through menopause. Ovarian cancer is rare in women younger than 40.
• Have a gene mutation. The BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes help cells repair their DNA damage. Having a change, or mutation, in one of these genes increases your risk of getting ovarian cancer. These gene mutations are commonly passed down in families. If one of your close relatives carries a BRCA gene mutation, there’s a 50-50 chance you could be carrying it, too.
• Are overweight or obese. Being very overweight might not only affect your risk of getting ovarian cancer, but also your survival if you are diagnosed with this cancer.
• Had your first pregnancy after age 35, or never carried a pregnancy to full-term. Of course, this doesn’t mean that women should have children just to protect themselves.
• Have family members with cancer. Your risk might be higher if you have close family members (such as your mother, sister, aunt, or grandmother) who have had ovarian, breast, or colorectal cancer. Genes that increase the risk for these cancers run in families.
• Used hormone replacement therapy. Women who take estrogen and progesterone after menopause are at slightly higher risk than are women who don’t use these hormones.

A few things might lower your risk for ovarian cancer, including:

• Having children. Giving birth, particularly to two or more children if that is your choice to do, can significantly reduce your risk for ovarian cancer.
  Using birth control pills for five or more years. However, hormonal birth control also comes with its own risks, which women should consider when making the choice to take them.
• Breastfeeding. Breastfeeding for as little as one to three months can reduce the risk of the deadliest type of invasive ovarian cancer.
• Having surgery. Surgery to get your tubes tied, remove both ovaries, or remove the uterus (hysterectomy), might lower your risk for ovarian cancer. However, surgery comes with its own risks.

Could taking birth control pills lower your risk for ovarian cancer? Nurse practitioner Barbara Dehn explains which factors might affect your chances of developing this cancer.

While these things may help reduce the chance of getting ovarian cancer, they are not recommended for everybody. Each one has risks and benefits worth considering, and discussing with your doctor.

What If You Have the BRCA Gene Mutation?

If you discover that you have a gene mutation, like Sara Chase did, there are options available to manage your cancer risk, which include enhanced screenings; prophylactic (risk-reducing) surgery, which involves removing as much of the “at-risk” tissue as possible; and chemoprevention, the use of medicines to reduce the risk of cancer.

The BRCA gene is two genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2). According to the National Cancer Institute, BRCA1 (BReast CAncer gene 1) and BRCA2 (BReast CAncer gene 2) are genes that produce proteins that work to repair damaged DNA. The BRCA genes are sometimes referred to as tumor suppressor genes since changes, or mutations, in these genes can lead to cancer.

What Is a BRCA Mutation?

Everyone is born with two copies of each of the BRCA genes, one inherited from each parent. If either parent carries a BRCA gene mutation, there’s a 50-50 chance the child will carry it as well.

When BRCA1 or BRCA2 have certain mutations, or changes, men and women are at a higher risk level for several cancers, most notably breast and ovarian cancer in women.

According to the National Cancer Institute, 55 to 72 percent of women who inherit a harmful BRCA1 variant will get breast cancer by the time they reach 70 to 80 years old. Similarly, 45 to 69 percent of women who inherit a harmful BRCA2 variant will get breast cancer by that same age.

The percentage of women in the general population who will get breast cancer in their lifetime? About 13 percent.

“If a woman has one of these mutations the genetic BRCA1 and (BRCA)2 mutations, it puts her at basically the highest quantifiable risk for getting breast cancer,” Dr. Elisa Port, a surgical oncologist at Mount Sinai, told SurvivorNet. “We typically say between the 60 (percent) and 80 percent range.”

When Cancer Runs in the Family: Survivor Amy Armstrong On The Importance of Genetic Testing

If you have a family history of cancer, like Sara Chase, genetic testing could be one way for you to find out if you have harmful genetic mutations that increase your risk of developing certain cancers. Ask your doctor if genetic testing is right for you.

Dr. Port explained, “We now feel that casting a wider net with genetic testing is probably very prudent because finding out that one has a cancer predisposition gene can definitely change their course, their risk for cancer and what they might want to do about it.”

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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