Sisterhood of Support
- Robin Roberts moderated ‘A Conversation with a Living Legend’ at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas on Wednesday with tennis legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, all three of whom are cancer survivors.
- Evert and Navratilova were famed tennis rivals in the 1970s and 1980s — and both have leaned on each other through cancer, with Evert currently battling a recurrence from ovarian cancer and Navratilova just completed treatment for throat cancer and a breast cancer recurrence as of last year.
- The close friends have offered support to each other during some of life’s most challenging moments, as a cancer diagnosis can be extremely stressful. One way SurvivorNet experts encourage cancer patients to alleviate some of that stress by leaning on their support system.
- A support system can be made up of loved ones like family and friends. It can also be comprised of strangers who have come together because of a shared cancer experience. Mental health professionals can also be critical parts of a support system.
The event has been held annually since 1990, and was likely a powerful moment to witness this year with these strong women joining forces together in the same room.
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On Wednesday, after sharing a photo with Laign, 49, on an airplane en route to Texas, she later posted some BTS (behind the scenes) from the event on her Instagram stories, showing the superstar athletes meeting Roberts’ family.
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“So kind of last night’s honorees @martinaavratilova & @chrissieevert to meet family!”
In a video taken at the Post Oak Hotel, Roberts’ family members could be seen shaking the ladies hands in the banquet-style setting, with Evert in a floral dress turning to smile at the camera toward the end of the clip.
Meanwhile, Roberts, wearing a bright fuchsia suit and white sneakers, beamed in the background, clearly enjoying the fun exchange.
Chris Evert’s Cancer Journey
Evert first revealed she was diagnosed with stage 1 ovarian cancer in 2022. After undergoing treatment, she reached remission as no evidence of the disease was present during scans at the time. However, when dealing with ovarian cancer, there is a high chance of recurrence, but most women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer will respond positively to their first round of treatment and go into remission.
However, of that 80 percent, a majority will likely experience a recurrence, meaning their cancer will come back.
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For Evert, unfortunately that happened in December.
“My cancer is back. While this is a diagnosis I never wanted to hear, I once again feel fortunate that it was caught early,” Evert announced via X (formerly Twitter).
Evert’s news came as she revealed she could not cover the Australian Open. She added, “Based on a PET CT scan, I underwent another robotic surgery…doctors found cancer cells in the same pelvic region. All cells were removed, and I have begun another round of chemotherapy.”
Martina Navratilova’s Cancer Journey
Evert and Navratilova were contemporaries in the sport of tennis who often went head to head for titles. And both are former world No. 1 tennis players who won 18 major singles titles. Since their retirements, the two inspiring women have continued to stay active in the world of tennis particularly with their commentary.
Navratilova first battled breast cancer in 2010, and then recently overcame a recurrence of the disease, as well as throat cancer.
RELATED: Tennis Legend Martina Navratilova Says Cancer Treatment Was 7 Months of Hell
Navratilova underwent radiation therapy, which uses high-energy beams to target and kill cancer cells. She also underwent several rounds of chemotherapy.
Fortunately, with the support of loved ones, Navratilova completed her cancer treatments and received the “all clear” last summer.
Power of Support
“With all the experiences we had, winning and losing and comforting each other, I think we ended up having more compassion for each other than anybody in the world could have,” Evert has said of her professional and personal friendship with Navratilova.
The close friends have offered support to each other during some of life’s most challenging moments, as a cancer diagnosis can be extremely stressful. One way SurvivorNet experts encourage cancer patients to alleviate some of that stress by leaning on their support system.
Watch: Sharing About Your Cancer Journey
A support system can be made up of loved ones like family and friends. It can also be comprised of strangers who have come together because of a shared cancer experience. Mental health professionals can also be critical parts of a support system.
Treatment Options for Ovarian Cancer that Comes Back
For Evert’s health situation, it’s important to highlight how to go about handling an ovarian cancer recurrence.
Maintenance therapy is continued treatment after the patient finishes their initial treatment. After an ovarian cancer patient completes a round of treatments — such as surgery and chemotherapy — a woman’s doctor may recommend some form of maintenance therapy to try and delay possible recurrence. Maintenance therapy can involve taking an oral pill called a PARP inhibitor every day after chemotherapy and can keep cancer in remission longer.
Genetic testing helps doctors determine the best maintenance therapy.
Managing An Ovarian Cancer Recurrence
“The biggest question is: How do you choose between bevacizumab (brand name, Avastin) or a PARP inhibitor for maintenance therapy?” Dr. Alpa Nick, a gynecological oncologist with Tennessee Oncology in Nashville, previously told SurvivorNet.
The drugs have very different ways of combatting cancer cells. PARP inhibitors prevent cancer cells from repairing their DNA, while Avastin blocks the formation of new blood vessels, starving tumors of nutrients.
The Food and Drug Administration approved bevacizumab (Avastin) to be used in conjunction with olaparib (brand name LYNPARZA) in HRD (Homologous Recombination Deficiency) positive women who show a response to platinum-based chemotherapy. During clinical trials, the drug combination increased progression-free survival from an average of 17 months to 37 months.
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