Thriving After Two Cancer Diagnoses
- Academy Award-winning actress Kathy Bates once thought her career was over after suffering from physical complications like lymphedema, chronic swelling, from breast cancer surgery in 2012 which came after she already went through ovarian cancer in 2003.
- After keeping her first diagnosis secret for nearly a decade, she was inspired to begin sharing her story after her breast cancer diagnosis to raise awareness on early detection and lymphedema.
- Lymphedema usually happens gradually, but some people experience it coming on suddenly. If you have sudden, severe swelling, get in to see your doctor immediately. It could be an infection, a blood clot, or a cancer recurrence, but don’t assume the worst before you are evaluated by your medical team.
- As for ovarian cancer, it is often called the “cancer that whispers” because women don’t often experience symptoms until it has reacher later stages, so it’s important to look out for symptoms such as feeling bloated or a feeling of fullness after not eating much, extreme fatigue, urinary urgency and pain during sex.
But the Academy Award winner, 75, kept pushing forward, and most recently starred in the heartwarming Netflix film The Miracle Club, co-starring Laura Linney, which received favorable reviews.
Kathy Bates’ Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis
Bates was diagnosed with stage 1 ovarian cancer 20 years ago in 2003. In a prior interview with SurvivorNet, the Misery star said the diagnosis “knocked the stuffing out of me,” but she was lucky to have caught it early, as it was just about to spread.She underwent surgery and chemotherapy — all while working on the 2004 film Little Black Book. That’s something Bates said she struggled with.
“I lost patience with people when things would be draggy. You really can’t do that on a movie set because things are going to go at the pace they’re going to go and yelling about it isn’t going to help.”
Mind Over Cancer How to Gain Greater Control Over Ovarian Cancer
The Memphis native described the extremely difficult experience she had after having chemotherapy.
“You come off of the steroids, and I just found that the hardest part,” Bates said. “It was like detoxing. I was shaking, I couldn’t talk, and I remember I had to go do a voiceover and it was just so, so difficult.”
Despite what she was going through, Bates didn’t want to tell anyone.
“I’m very open and direct so it was hard for me not to talk to people about it. But at the same time I withdrew from all of the activities that I had in my life,” she shared with Yahoo Lifestyle.
Sharing About Your Cancer: A Personal Choice
A cancer diagnosis — and the treatment that follows — affects everyone differently. It’s important to know that the emotions you experience are completely normal. And who you share this journey with others is completely up to you.
Some people want to share their experiences as much as they can and others don’t want to tell anyone. Both of these approaches, and everything in between (like only telling a few close friends), are valid. And you should feel confident in the decision you make for yourself.
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“Patients who have just been diagnosed with cancer sometimes wonder how they are going to handle the diagnosis of the cancer in social situations,” psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik explained to SurvivorNet. “How much information they should share and with whom — everybody is different.”
“People should do what feels right to them,” she added. “Going through a cancer diagnosis, through treatment, is often a very long process.
Kathy Bates’ Breast Cancer Journey
After her private health journey, Bates decided it was time to start opening up and try to help others going through the same thing. “I don’t think I really came out about being a cancer survivor until I developed breast cancer in 2012.”
She has also said she was inspired by fellow survivor Melissa Etheridge.
When Bates was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer, she had a double mastectomy to remove both breasts, and she had 19 lymph nodes removed as well, a common treatment method when the cancer has spread beyond the breasts. The lingering pain this all caused her left her feeling worse than when she faced ovarian cancer.
Then Bates developed a condition that breast cancer patients are at higher risk for if they have lymph nodes removed from under the arm. She developed lymphedema, a swelling condition that can affect the arms, legs or other areas of the body near the lymph nodes removed.
Understanding and Treating Lymphedema
“I was bitter, I was depressed,” she shared. “I thought my career was over, I thought, ‘There’s no way, I’m done, everything is done.'”
Bates, who remains cancer-free, recognized her emotional response to her two diagnoses and lymphedema, and decided to take action, get vocal about her story, and not only raise awareness for early detection, but also help others who were going through similar challenges.
Lymphedema After Breast Cancer Surgery
Lymphedema, or chronic swelling, can occur after surgery and radiation treatment for breast cancer. It occurs when the lymph vessels that carry fluid throughout the body are affected and cannot properly dispose of the fluid. This causes fluid build-up and swelling, usually in the arm and hand on the same side as the treated breast.
Doctors cannot predict which patients will develop the condition but women who have many lymph nodes removed and/or radiation therapy have a higher risk of long-term lymphedema. Lymphedema can happen shortly after treatment or even years later.
“Lymphedema is a disorder in which the lymph fluid– which is basically interstitial fluid that leaks out from our tissue continuously– cannot recirculate properly and stays stagnant in the tissue. It’s critical that you monitor for swelling since detecting lymphedema early is key,” Dr. Dung Nguyen, the director of breast reconstruction at Stanford Medicine tells SurvivorNet. “It’s uncomfortable and can be painful and there is no cure but there are a number of ways to treat it.”
Lymphedema can become a problem after surgery or radiation treatment for nearly any type of cancer, but it’s most commonly seen in breast cancer, prostate cancer, pelvic area cancers, lymphoma, melanoma and head and neck cancers like throat cancer.
“If a woman has breast cancer on the right side, she should look for signs and symptoms of lymphedema in her right arm. That includes the hand, all the way up to the axilla. Over time, lymphedema can spread on to the chest wall as well.”
“It’s not a dangerous, life-threatening condition,” she adds. “But we do know that, it being a progressive disease without a cure at the moment, it can negatively impact the patients’ function and quality of life long term.”
According to the National Cancer Institute, lymphedema occurs when the lymph system is damaged or blocked. Fluid builds up in soft body tissues and causes swelling. It is a common problem that may be caused by cancer and cancer treatment. Lymphedema usually affects an arm or leg, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Lymphedema can cause long-term physical, psychological and social problems for patients.
Some key points:
- Lymphedema is the build-up of fluid in soft body tissues when the lymph system is damaged or blocked.
- The lymph system is a network of lymph vessels, tissues and organs that carry lymph throughout the body.
- Lymphedema occurs when lymph is not able to flow through the body the way that it should.
- There are two types of lymphedema.
- Possible signs of lymphedema include swelling of the arms or legs.
- Cancer and its treatment are risk factors for lymphedema.
- Tests that examine the lymph system are used to diagnose lymphedema.
Lymphedema usually happens gradually, but some people experience it coming on suddenly. If you have sudden, severe swelling, get in to see your doctor immediately. It could be an infection, a blood clot, or a cancer recurrence, but don’t assume the worst before you are evaluated by your medical team.
Ovarian Cancer Symptoms Can Be Subtle
Ovarian cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the ovaries, which are the female reproductive organs that produce eggs. It is often called the “cancer that whispers” because women don’t often experience symptoms until it has reacher later stages, says Dr. Beth Karlan, director of the Women’s Cancer Program at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. So recognizing warning signs is extremely important.
Symptoms of ovarian cancer may include:
- Feeling full earlier/decrease in appetite
- Feeling bloated
- Changes in bowel habits
- Pain in the pelvis
- Urinary symptoms, such as an urgent need to go
- Extreme fatigue
- Abdominal swelling
- Pain during sex
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