John Travolta Shines at Oscars
- Actor John Travolta, who lost his wife Kelly Preston to breast cancer in 2020, presented at the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday night, alongside his Pulp Fiction cast members.
- Kelly passed away from breast cancer in July 2020 and largely kept her cancer battle a private one. She was only 57 years old.
- Breast cancer is screened for by mammograms, which look for signs of cancer in the breast tissue. Women ages 45 to 54 with an average risk of breast cancer should get mammograms annually.
Travolta presented alongside his Pulp Fiction cast members, Samuel L. Jackson, 73, and Uma Thurman, 51. The trio, reuniting over 27 years after the release of Quentin Tarantino’s cult classic, delighted audiences with their dancing and their jokes.
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John Travolta’s Loss & Kelly’s Cancer Journey
Travolta's beloved wife Kelly fought breast cancer privately for two years before passing from the disease in July 2020 at the too-young age of 57. While we don't know the specifics of Preston's treatment, we do know that breast cancer is typically treated with chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery.
After she passed, Travolta thanked doctors at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. "My family and I will forever be grateful to her doctors and nurses at MD Anderson Cancer Center, all the medical centers that have helped, as well as her many friends and loved ones who have been by her side," he said.
Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer What is This Type of Test? And What Do My Results Mean?
Screening for Breast Cancer: Early Detection is Key
It's unclear what stage Preston's breast cancer was in at the time of her passing, but it's well known that early detection is key when it comes to treating breast cancer successfully.
Mammograms are the best tools for catching breast cancer early. Current screening guidelines say that women should start screening annually at the age of 45 and continue until 54, but there are exceptions for specific groups of women.
Related: When You're Getting a Mammogram, Ask About Dense Breasts
For the women who fall under the "high risk" category, which includes women who have had a first-degree relative with breast cancer, the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, or experienced radiation on their chest, experts suggest going to annual mammogram as early as 30. If you're unclear about your family history, then you may consider genetic testing to determine if you have any gene mutations.
"Every doctor that I know, every organization that I know really encourages women to have a mammogram," says Dr. Connie Lehman, the Chief of the Breast Imaging Division at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, in an earlier interview with SurvivorNet.
"I want to be completely clear. If you are between 50 and 74 and you have not had a mammogram in the last two years, you are overdue. Please get a mammogram,” says Dr. Lehman.
When Should I Get a Mammogram?
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