Jenna Fischer's Cancer Battle
- Actress Jenna Fischer, a triple-negative breast cancer survivor, is just one month away from turning 51—and despite her busy schedule and acting in a new movie “New Years Rev,” she’s making time to spread awareness for breast cancer and even speak to aspiring actors to help them in the industry.
- Fisher was diagnosed with stage 1 triple positive breast cancer on December 2023. She beat the disease after completing surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.
- “Triple-negative” means the cancer is not fueled by any of the three main types of receptors: estrogen, progesterone, or the HER2 protein. Because of this, the cancer won’t respond to certain common therapies.
- In addition to surgery and radiation, chemotherapy is a mainstay of treatment for early-stage triple-negative breast cancer. Different chemotherapy combinations may be used to treat this aggressive form of cancer that’s known to respond well to chemotherapy.
- While there is some disagreement about the exact age a woman should start getting mammograms, doctors generally agree it should happen in their 40s. The American Cancer Society (ACS) suggests women should begin annual mammogram screenings for breast cancer at age 45 if they are at average risk for breast cancer.
- However, an independent panel of experts called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) says that women should start getting mammograms every other year at the age of 40, suggesting that this lowered the age for breast cancer screening could save 19% more lives
Fischer, a mom of two and wife to actor Lee Kirk, is truly embracing life after beating triple-positive breast cancer a disease she was diagnosed with in December 2023, and we’re delighted to see her making time to help others like herself.
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Fischer continued, “So, if you’ve been waiting for a sign to get your own recommended screenings – this is it. “I was fortunate to have flexible work hours for my treatments and screenings. I want everyone to have that same kind of support at work. It makes a huge difference. That’s why I’ve partnered with @workingwithcancerinitiative to help get the word out about their Screening Time Off program.
“If you’re a boss, here’s your chance to be the world’s best: please join us at workingwithcancerpledge.com. Your health matters—seriously. Take a minute right now to check which screenings you need and book them. And if someone you love needs a nudge, send this their way!”
And just this week, she dedicated some of her time to aspiring actors, admitting in another post, “One of my passions in life is speaking to aspiring actors and giving them any advice or encouragement I can.
“It’s why I wrote my book ‘The Actors Life.’ It is crucial as an aspiring artist to have access to people working in the industry you one day hope to call your own.”
Fischer said she chose to speak at The University of Oklahoma’s Helmerich School of Drama on her day off from filming the Green Day-inspired movie “New Years Rev.”
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She wrote alongside a group photo her sitting amidst a large group of aspiring actors, “Today I had the pleasure of speaking to the drama students at The University of Oklahoma Peggy Dow Hemlerich School of Drama. @oudrama is the 2nd oldest Drama School in the country, second to Yale. The College of Fine Arts just celebrated its centennial last year, and the School of Drama will celebrate its centennial next year. They only accept 16 performance students and 10 design and production students per year.
“What an incredible group of young, thoughtful artists! Thank you for an inspiring conversation today! You all are ready to be our next generation of performers. Good luck to you all!”
Someone from the school commented with immense gratitude for the cancer-surviving actress who shared her “story, insight and encouragement” to their students.
“You are a 100% class act and have a kindness, warmth and generosity beyond measure. Thank you for the empathy you have for young actors. You gave them 90 minutes they will never forget the rest of their lives. Boomer Sooner!” the comment concluded.
Jenna Fischer’s Breast Cancer Journey
Jenna Fisher was diagnosed with stage 1 triple positive breast cancer in December 2023, but didn’t announce the news until the following year—after completing surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.
Fischer, who is now cancer-free and went public with the news on social media on October 8, 2024, revealed “inconclusive results” following her routine mammogram, due to dense breast tissue, prompted her doctor to order a breast ultrasound, which led to a discovery of something in her left breast.
After getting a biopsy, her cancer was confirmed on December 1, 2023.
She explained further, “Triple positive breast cancer is an aggressive form of breast cancer but it is also highly responsive to treatment.
“In January, I had a lumpectomy to remove the tumor. Luckily my cancer was caught early and it hadn’t spread to my lymph nodes or throughout the rest of my body, however because of the aggressive nature of triple positive breast cancer it still required chemotherapy and radiation to be sure it didn’t return.”
In February 2024 she began 12 rounds of weekly chemotherapy. In June 2024 she began three weeks of radiation, all while continuing to be treated with “infusions of Herceptin and a daily dose of Tamoxifen.”
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As for the estrogen-blocker Tamoxifen (which prevents estrogen from helping cancer cells grow) and Herceptin, she had taken, this is a form of targeted therapy, which is matching treatment to disease based on very specific characteristics such as genetic mutations, and has changed the way many cancers are treated.
It’s important to note that there are side effects for some patients taking Tamoxifen, many of which mimic menopause (like hot flashes), but they can be managed.
Tamoxifen is a commitment. For women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, patients are typically put on the Tamoxifen pill for five to 10 years and there is evidence that taking it for 10 years is more effective than taking it for five.
In addition, it’s a treatment that when taken alone or in combination with chemotherapy reduces the chance of having a breast cancer spread.
What is Tamoxifen for Breast Cancer?
Fischer admitting to making her breast cancer announcement because she no longer wanted to wear wigs, and of course to push other women to get their annual mammograms.
“My tumor was so small it could not be felt on a physical exam. If I had waited six months longer, things could have been much worse. If mammogram appointments on Instagram needled me into settling my own (which I was late for). I’m so glad I did,” she explained.
“Consider this your kick in the butt to get it done.”
Expert Resources on Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
- ‘It’s A Game Changer’: FDA Approves Keytruda, Chemo Combo To Treat Aggressive Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
- Chemo Plus Immunotherapy for Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
- Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treatments To Consider
- More Than 80% of Women With Early-Stage Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Experienced a Prolonged Event-Free Survival With Keytruda Plus Chemotherapy Regimen
- New Study Identifies Genes Linked to Increased Risk for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
- Treating Early Stage Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
She concluded, “It takes a village to fight cancer, and I have had an amazing village. Until this happened., I don’t think I really knew the generosity and kindness that could rain down from one person to another.
“It started with a team of doctors and nurses. All of the mangels. They were caregivers, some of who I saw only once, who shared their own breast cancer stories with me. They seemed placed along my path just in the moments when I needed them most.”
Fischer also praised her friends, family, and loved ones for the endless support.
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Understanding a Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Triple-negative breast cancer means your cancer is not fueled by any of the three main types of receptors — estrogen, progesterone, or the HER2 protein. Because of this, the cancer won’t respond to certain targeted therapies, including hormone therapy or HER2-targeted agents like Herceptin. Chemotherapy is typically the treatment, and several options exist, such as immunotherapy or participating in clinical trials.
WATCH: Understanding triple-negative breast cancer
If the triple-negative breast cancer patient does not have many symptoms, oral chemotherapy like Xeloda (generic name capecitabine) may be prescribed. If the patient becomes resistant to the oral chemo drug, IV (intravenous) chemotherapy may be offered weekly or bi-weekly.
Coping With a Breast Cancer Diagnosis
If you are facing a breast cancer diagnosis, your emotions are likely to run high, which is completely normal. Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik says emotions are often fluid when coping with a diagnosis.
“The patient or person going through the stressful event should accept that emotions will be fluid. You may feel fine one day and then feel a massive wave of stress the next. It’s also important for those you look to for support, whether that’s a therapist, friends, and family, or both, to understand the fluidity of stress-related emotions,” Dr. Plutchik said.
If a stressful event affects how you think and feel, it may be time to seek mental health treatment. This could mean traditional talk therapy, medication, changing lifestyle habits (like exercise and diet), seeking a support group, or many other approaches.
Women needing a little extra help coping with a breast cancer diagnosis should consider the following.
- Let your family and close friends know and let them help. So many cancer survivors tell us they want and need support but are often too preoccupied to make specific requests. Urge those close to you to jump in with whatever practical help they can offer.
- Keep a journal. It can be highly cathartic to let those feelings loose on paper. Grab a pen and a lovely journal and chronicle your thoughts throughout the day.
- Join a cancer support group. Groups are available in nearly every community and offer opportunities to connect with others going through a similar journey. You’ll learn constructive insight from others who can tell you what to expect and how to stay strong on tough days.
- Consider seeing a therapist. Ask your doctor to refer you to a therapist so you can discuss your fears and concerns in a safe space. Often, vocalizing your thoughts and feelings rather than internalizing them can provide relief.
Finding Joy During & After Cancer
When faced with a cancer battle, whether you’re an adult or a child, it can be difficult to focus on life outside of your disease. However, it’s important to remember that your mental state can actually impact your success as a patient.
“I’m pretty good at telling what kind of patients are going to still have this attitude and probably going to live the longest, even with bad, bad disease,” Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet. “And those are patients who, they have gratitude in life.”
Dr. Dana Chase, a gynecologic oncologist at Arizona Oncology, also advocates for cancer warriors to prioritize their mental health. She noted that emotional well-being has been studied as a factor in patient outcomes.
“We know from good studies that emotional health is associated with survival, meaning better quality of life is associated with better outcomes,” Dr. Chase told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.
“So, working on your emotional health, your physical well-being, your social environment [and] your emotional well-being are important and can impact your survival. If that’s related to what activities you do that bring you joy, then you should try to do more of those activities.”
According to Dr. Chase says doing things that bring you joy is important, and there’s no right or wrong ways to do so. Paying attention to your emotional health could look like spending time with friends and dancing. Others might turn to painting, writing, watching movies, or playing sports.
Dr. Chase recommends writing down ten things that make you happy and intentionally making the time to do those activities throughout the day.
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“Sometimes I will talk to a patient about making [a] list of the top ten things that bring them joy,” Chase says. “And trying to do those ten things, to make at least 50 percent of their experiences positive throughout the day.”
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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