CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, 63, Has Been Diagnosed With Ovarian Cancer
CNN international anchor Christiane Amanpour revealed that she has ovarian cancer.
“I’ve had successful major surgery to remove it, and I’m now undergoing several months of chemotherapy,” she explained.
Amanpour urges all women to get regular exams and listen to their bodies, as ovarian cancer is difficult to detect and diagnose.
On Monday morning, international CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour shared some somber news with viewers after returning from a four-week absence. At 63, she’s been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
“I’ve had successful major surgery to remove it, and I’m now undergoing several months of chemotherapy for the very best possible long-term prognosis, and I’m confident,” she explained.
The award-winning journalist seemed less concerned about her diagnosis, and more about spreading awareness for women’s health. After all, ovarian cancer affects “millions of women around the world,” she shared.
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women. The society predicts that 13,770 women in the United States will die from ovarian cancer in 2021 alone.
“I’m telling you this in the interest of transparency but, in truth, really mostly as a shout-out to early diagnosis,” Amanpour continued. “To urge women to educate themselves on this disease, to get all the regular screenings and scans that you can, to always listen to your bodies, and of course, to ensure that your legitimate medical concerns are not dismissed or diminished.”
When ovarian cancer is detected early, about 94% of patients live longer than 5 years after diagnosis, per the ACS, but only 20% of diagnoses occur at an early stage. To increase that number, regular pelvic exams and checkups are crucial. At the moment, research on ovarian cancer screening is still ongoing, and although there are tools that help detect it, a comprehensive diagnostic test doesn’t exist.
Going forward, per CNN, Amanpour anticipates anchoring on Mondays through Wednesdays and has scheduled time off in late June. Her CNN family has been extremely supportive since she broke the news, and will continue to be as she proceeds on this new health journey.
“I want to applaud Christiane Amanpour for her candor, bravery and always working towards the greater good,” CNN Worldwide president Jeff Zucker said in a statement. “As a cancer survivor, I too encourage people to listen to their bodies and get all early cancer screenings available to them. From our CNN family, we wish Christiane the very best for a full and speedy recovery.”
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