Louis-Dreyfus is Six Years Cancer Free
- Actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus, known for playing Elaine Benes on NBC’s “Seinfeld,” is celebrating her 64th birthday nearly eight years after her breast cancer diagnosis and six years after going into remission.
- Louis-Dreyfus was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer back in 2017. She later went public with the news on her social media channels to an outpouring of support. She announced she was “cancer-free” about a year later.
- The type of breast cancer she was diagnosed with was HER2-positive cancer, which is classified as an invasive and often fast-growing type of the disease.
- If you’re facing a diagnosis, check out SurvivorNet’s patient guide to help you navigate the treatment path and journey to survivorship.
Dreyfus, who looked incredible during recent appearances at the 2024 Governors Awards and Academy Museum of Motion Pictures 4th Annual Gala, turned 64 on January 13 —and although we’re unsure what the “Veep” star will be doing to commemorate turning another year older, fans have already taken to social media to wish the legendary comedian a happy birthday.
Read MoreRELATED: Creating Space for Older Women – ‘Veep’ Actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus Says Her Successful Podcast Was Inspired by Fellow Cancer Survivor Jane FondaView this post on Instagram
The actress is perhaps best known and loved for her stint as Elaine Benes on NBC’s “Seinfeld” from 1990 to 1998. Her credits also include “Saturday Night Live,” the 2006 TV series “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” the comedy/romance movie “Enough Said,” the sitcom “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” the 2023 film “Tuesday,” and of course, HBO’s smash hit “VEEP.”
What’s even more impressive is all that she’s done after battling breast cancer, including becoming an advocate for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF).
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The actress even returned to her role as Selina Meyer on “VEEP” after undergoing cancer treatment.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Breast Cancer Journey
Louis-Dreyfus’ cancer journey certainly helped build her resilience and appreciation for life. She learned she was facing cancer the morning after the 2017 Emmy Awards.
“I started laughing. Well, the night before, I had won an Emmy. And so, I came downstairs, and…the Emmy was there. It was like on the dining room table. I’m coming down to get coffee. My cell phone rings, and it’s my doctor saying, ‘Guess what, you have cancer,’” Louis-Dreyfus said, according to People.
“Of course, I did laugh, and then I became hysterical, crying, because I was terrified, as most people are if they get a diagnosis like that,” she said.
What You Need to Know About Survivorship
She was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. 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. The same approach is taken to hormone receptor and HER2 positive as stage 1.
HER2-positive breast cancer means the tumor cells have estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and a larger than normal number of HER2 receptors on their surface.
WATCH: Understanding Your Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Coping with your fluid emotions shortly after being diagnosed with cancer is a very common experience. Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik recommends people faced with a significant health crisis, including a cancer diagnosis, lean into their support system, which may look different for everyone. Sometimes, you may need to see a mental health professional for additional help.
After her diagnosis, Louis-Dreyfus shared the news publicly on her social media channels to an outpouring of support.
The actress underwent six rounds of chemotherapy and a double mastectomy during her treatment.
She compared her cancer treatment to an unnerving experience she previously has while out on a boat with her husband. She had hopped off the boat to go for a swim and noticed a shark in the water. She knew she needed to keep it together and swim to safety.
“I just saw the ladder, and I started swimming towards it, and I made the decision not to look around me at all. I was just going to stay looking at the ladder. And that very much applied to how I got through my cancer adventure — was sort of looking at the ladder. Just let’s get this done, let’s get there,” Louis-Dreyfus said.
By October 2018, Louis-Dreyfus announced that she was “cancer-free.” Remarkably, the brave actress reached the milestone of six years in remission this past October.
While the most arduous parts of the journey may be behind her, the brave actress was still changed by the experience.
“I’m just very focused on…trying to enjoy my life as much as possible,” Louis-Dreyfus, who also admitted she’s at peace with aging, said. “As you age, you just get deeper rooted. You get to know yourself and your world and the world, I hope, better than you knew it when you were 17. I have a bigger sense of community and responsibility to others that I certainly didn’t have in the same way at the age of 17 when I was just thinking about me, me, me, me, me,” she explained.
Learning About Breast Cancer Treatment
There are many ways to treat breast cancer. In Louis-Dreyfus’ case, she shared that she underwent chemotherapy and a double mastectomy.
Breast cancer treatment can include a combination of the following treatments:
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation
- Hormone therapy
- Targeted therapy
- Immunotherapy
Surgery
Most women with breast cancer will have surgery at some point in their treatment. There are different surgical approaches, including:
- Remove just the cancer and an area of healthy tissue around it (lumpectomy)
- Remove one breast (mastectomy)
- Remove both breasts (double mastectomy)
Some women who opt for a mastectomy opt for reconstruction surgery afterwards, since the removal of the breasts can have a dramatic effect on their self esteem. This is a highly personal choice, and there is no “right” answer as to whether or not to reconstruct.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses strong drugs to kill cancer all over the body. Some patients get this treatment to shrink a tumor before surgery, afterward to get rid of any remaining cancer cells, or on its own if surgery isn’t possible.
Whether or not to have chemotherapy can also be a choice, depending on a woman’s age, type of cancer, and stage.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells and is typically used after surgery to lower the chance that the cancer will come back after treatment. Many women undergo radiation as part of their treatment, especially if they opt for a lumpectomy instead of a mastectomy.
Hormone Therapy
The hormones estrogen and progesterone help some breast cancers grow. Doctors refer to these types of cancers as hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers. Receptors are proteins on the surface of breast cells that receive messages from estrogen, progesterone, or both, telling them to grow. Treatments that block these hormones may help stop the tumor.
Testing the tumor sample from a biopsy helps to determine whether hormone therapies such as tamoxifen (Nolvadex) or anastrozole (Arimidex) might work against the cancer. Women with breast cancer that is fueled by estrogen may take one of these drugs as part of their treatment.
Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy
Immunotherapy and targeted therapies are newer forms of treatment. Immunotherapy boosts the body’s immune response to help it stop the cancer.
As their name suggests, targeted therapies target certain substances that help the cancer grow. For example, drugs like trastuzumab (Herceptin) and pertuzumab (Perjeta) treat breast cancers that have too much of a protein called HER2 on their surface.
Breast Cancer Subtypes
Estrogen and progesterone help cancerous cells grow, so when a patient is diagnosed, it’s important for doctors to determine if the cancer is fueled by either hormone, both, or neither.
Here is an overview of subtypes:
- ER-positive (ER+) breast cancers have estrogen receptors.
- PR-positive (PR+) breast cancers have progesterone receptors.
- HR-positive (HR+) breast cancers have estrogen and progesterone receptors.
- HR-negative (HR-) breast cancers don’t have estrogen or progesterone receptors.
- HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancers have higher than normal levels of the HER2 protein. This protein helps cancer cells to grow. About 15% to 20% of all breast cancers are HER2-positive.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor After a Diagnosis
If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, it’s a good idea to make a list of questions for your doctor.
Here are a few questions to help you begin the conversation:
- What type of breast cancer do I have? What subtype?
- Do I need to/should I undergo surgery?
- What treatment will I be receiving and for how long?
- What side effects are associated with this treatment?
- Are there steps I can take daily to help minimize these side effects?
- What physical activity routine do you recommend for me during treatment?
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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