Kat Timpf's Battle With Stage Zero Breast Cancer
- Fox News’ Kat Timpf, 37, recently joked that she felt compelled to tell people on a boat that her reconstructed breasts were the result of cancer treatment — not a cosmetic boob job — after undergoing a double mastectomy for stage zero breast cancer, also known as Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS)
- DCIS is abnormal cells that line the ducts in a breast. A normal breast contains many ducts (which carry milk to the nipple in a lactating woman).
- Breast reconstruction surgery is an option for women after going through a mastectomy for breast cancer treatment. The reconstruction process can happen at the time of the surgery to remove the breast or later on.
- Plastic surgeons can reconstruct your breasts with implants or with your own tissue taken from some other place on your body (known as a flap procedure). It’s unclear which type of reconstruction Timpf underwent.
- Facing a major health challenge that changes your appearance can take an emotional and physical toll. Psychiatrist Dr. Marianna Strongin encourages cancer survivors to confront those changes rather than shy away from them, taking time to look at and appreciate the parts of their bodies affected by treatment as a way to reclaim a sense of ownership and control.
The Michigan-born comedian, 37, who resides in New York City, was diagnosed with stage 0 breast cancer, also known as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), shortly after giving birth to her first child. She ultimately underwent a double mastectomy, the surgical removal of both breasts, followed by breast reconstruction as part of her cancer treatment.
Read More“And, like, there is a distinction, I think. So on the boat, for some reason, I think it’s less weird to everyone on the boat that I had cancer.”
Dr. Andrea Pusic, chief of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Brigham Health, previously told SurvivorNet, “Breast reconstruction is a restoration of a woman’s form and her sense of self. A lot of breast reconstruction is trying to erase the trauma of the mastectomy surgery, putting cancer behind a patient, saying this is in the rearview mirror, and putting her back on track.”
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The TV personality added, “I just think its so different. A recreational boob job is a different surgery.”
Timpf may have been open about her experience, but she has not specified which type of breast reconstruction she underwent.
RELATED: Breaking Down Breast Reconstruction Options
Plastic surgeons can reconstruct breasts using implants or a woman’s own tissue taken from another part of the body, like the back, abdomen, or inner thigh — a technique called a flap procedure. Flaps can look and feel more natural than implants and change with the body over time, such as with weight fluctuations.
However, this option isn’t suitable for everyone, including smokers or those with poorly controlled diabetes, circulation issues, or connective tissue disorders.
Fortunately, there’s another option. Breast implant surgery is simpler than a flap procedure, so recovery tends to be quicker. The trade-off is that implants may not look or feel as natural. Since they don’t change with your body over time the way natural tissue does, they can start to look less matched to your body as you age or your weight changes.
WATCH: Regaining your sense of self after reconstruction.
Implants can also leak or rupture over time and need to be replaced. Patients will typically choose between saline (filled with sterile saltwater — leaks are obvious right away, so less monitoring is needed) or silicone (looks and feels more natural, but leaks can go unnoticed, so regular MRIs are recommended). A silicone leak isn’t dangerous, but it still needs prompt replacement once found.
RELATED: To Reconstruct or Not: After Mastectomy, Two Women Take Very Different Paths
Expert Resources on Breast Reconstruction for Patients
Last year, Timpf took to Instagram to share a recovery update alongside a photo of her standing outside Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
“Once I recover from childbirth, my mole removal scars heal, I get a double mastectomy, get rid of my cancer, have breast reconstruction surgery & am physically capable of getting back in the gym it’s OVER FOR U,” she captioned the post.
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Her recovery post followed an “unconventional birth announcement” on her Instagram page, where she revealed she was diagnosed with stage zero breast cancer, known as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), less than 24 hours before giving birth to her son, urging others, “Don’t freak out. It’s just, like, a little bit of cancer.”
Timpf said she welcomed her first child just a week earlier and received her cancer diagnosis roughly 15 hours before she went into labor.
She wrote on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram, “Now, before you worry, my doctor says it’s Stage 0 and is confident that it almost certainly hasn’t spread. Or, as I’ve explained to the few people I’ve managed to tell about it so far: Don’t freak out. It’s just, like, a LITTLE bit of cancer.”
“Still, it was not a chill day. I mean, to say the least! I woke up more-than-a-week-past-due pregnant, completely consumed by doing everything I could to get the baby out,” she continued. “By the middle of the afternoon, I was waddling around from appointment to appointment, talking about how to get my cancer out. I sat and listened as they told me that the best course of action would likely be a double mastectomy as soon as possible.”
Understanding Kat Timpf’s Early-Stage Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Stage zero breast cancer, or ductal carcinoma in situ, is abnormal cells that line the duct in a breast. A normal breast comprises many ducts carrying milk to the nipple in a lactating woman. This type of breast cancer is not invasive, meaning it has not spread outside the milk duct and can’t invade other parts of the breast.
Some oncologists approach stage zero breast cancer with a watch-and-wait approach, meaning no invasive procedure happens immediately. Other oncologists may opt to perform surgery followed by possible radiation.
WATCH: I Have Stage Zero Breast Cancer: What Should I Do?
SurvivorNet experts say if DCIS is left untreated, it may develop into more advanced breast cancer.
However, it’s important to understand that treatment for early-stage breast cancer is one of the great debates — and recently, there was incredible progress in understanding whether women diagnosed with stage zero breast cancer either need treatment right away or can take a watch-and-wait approach.
A study recently published in JAMA Oncology, is saying that treatment for the disease is actually no better than active surveillance after a stage zero diagnosis.
The new research, shared in JAMA with the title “Active Monitoring With or Without Endocrine Therapy for Low-Risk Ductal Carcinoma In Situ – The COMET Randomized Clinical Trial,” is a large study that’s been looking into the benefit of active surveillance versus standard treatment.
As the COMET trial, which has been going on for years and is still underway, those who specialize in breast cancer say this study is incredibly important. Including, Dr. Ann Partridge, an oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the founder and Director of the Program for Young Women with Breast Cancer, who previously told SurvivorNet that DCIS is “a pre-cancer, technically.”
The standard treatment for DCIS is to remove it surgically and in some instances offer radiation as well. “But I think if a woman is seeing a physician who says you need surgery, I think it’s really important that she maybe get a little more information,” Dr. Partridge said.
This type of research has been put into place to help doctors decide whether doing less may be just as effective as doing more. In the meantime, the options are worth weighing depending on your individual diagnosis and concerns.
And we understand that these findings can be distressing to women who have already undergone surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation for early-stage breast cancer, it’s important to note that approximately 30 percent of women who initially receive an early-stage breast cancer diagnosis will end up developing metastatic breast cancer, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
Additionally, Breast Cancer Research Foundation reports that women with stage zero breast cancer have a a high success rate of beating the disease, with a 98 percent survival rate after 10 years.
Dr. Partridge explained to SurvivorNet that stage zero breast cancer is, “Something that may turn into invasive breast cancer. Invasive breast cancer is the kind of breast cancer that has the potential to not only grow in your breast but to spread to other places in the body and ultimately hurt someone more than just needing a breast surgery.”
The current standard of care is treatment with either lumpectomy or mastectomy, radiation, and hormonal therapy.
Additionally, Dr. Chirag Shah, Director of Breast Radiation Oncology at the Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center, says recent studies show that the risk of dying from stage zero breast cancer is very low, prompting some doctors to opt for less aggressive treatment and, even in some cases, active surveillance.
“Protocols, such as the comet trial, are studying the use of surveillance regimens, but this is not standard of care and is experimental at this time, and active surveillance is not something that we would recommend for patients outside of a clinical study,” Dr. Shah said.
Finding a Balance Between Screening and Treating
Dr. Alana Welm, of the Huntsman Cancer Institute, also told SurvivorNet that doctors need to find a balance between screening and finding cancers that actually require treatment.
Screenings lead to more people being diagnosed with cancer, and some of those cancers may have never caused an issue. Dr. Welm says treating these cancers exposes patients to unnecessary toxicities. Stage zero breast cancer, for example, can get picked up during screening but not all doctors see eye-to-eye on whether it requires treatment or just monitoring.
WATCH: Understanding a double mastectomy.
Coping With Your New Body After Cancer Treatment
We’re glad to see Timpf maintaining her sense of humor while coping with her new body after treatment. Cancer survivors often struggle with the changes others can see, whether temporary of permanent, like breast implants, hair loss and weight gain. However, survivors also struggle with changes that may not be as obvious, such as infertility, and these can create body image issues and make survivors feel vulnerable.
One way to prepare yourself for possible body changes during cancer treatment is to understand that changes are possible but also, frequently temporary. This can also help build up your self-confidence. Your support group, filled with loved ones, can help you during this stage of your journey as well.
Psychologist Dr. Marianna Strongin previously shared with SurvivorNet some additional tips cancer warriors can explore to help manage the emotional toll body changes can have during treatment.
Dr. Strongin encourages survivors to take ownership of the part (or parts) of their body impacted mainly by cancer treatment. She says although they may represent “fear and pain,” they also represent “strength and courage.”
“Research has found that when looking in the mirror, we are more likely to focus on the parts of our body we are dissatisfied with, which causes us to have a negative self-view and lower self-esteem. Therefore, I would like you first to spend time gazing at the parts of your body you love, give them time, honor them, and then thank them,” Dr. Strongin said.
Dr. Strongin then suggests looking at the part or parts of your body impacted by the cancer or cancer treatment. She recommends creating a regular practice of accepting your body image because it helps you accept your cancer journey emotionally and physically.
“As you allow yourself to spend more time looking at all of you, you will begin having a new relationship with your body. It may not happen immediately, but with time, you can begin honoring and thanking your new body,” Dr. Strongin added.
Helping You With Questions For Your Doctor
To further help you on your cancer journey, explore SurvivorNet’s proprietary AI tool, “My Health Questions.” Not only can this powerful resource help you come up with helpful questions to ask your care team for an upcoming appointment, but it also offers so much more.
WATCH: How One Cancer Survivor and Her Sister Used “My Health Questions” to Navigate Care
This powerful resource, embedded across the SurvivorNet website, was built to bridge that gap by offering on-demand explanations of treatment options, clinical trials, side effects, insurance concerns, and more.
Users can ask questions conversationally, either by typing or using their voice, and receive answers tailored to their individual profiles. If patients don’t know where to start, we provide prompt questions to get them started.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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