I have frequently been critical of the way medical information is presented by celebrities like Jenny McCarthy (who thinks kids shouldn't be vaccinated) and Suzanne Somers (who promoted the use of vast quantities of hormones to post-menopausal women). But now I'd like to praise one celebrity for presenting a very balanced picture of her illness and her treatment decision.
E! star Giuliana Rancic sent out a somewhat confusing message when she first announced she had breast cancer. Even I was critical of the way she presented her story. But since then, Rancic, 37, has really made a valuable contribution to breast cancer awareness. I was especially moved today by the way she explained her decision to have a double mastectomy.
Appearing on The Today Show with her husband, Bill, Rancic said she chose the more radical procedure after an initial lumpectomy failed to get all the cancer. She and her husband explained very clearly that their doctors presented them with choices. She could have another lumpectomy followed by radiation and anti-estrogen therapy for a number of years or she could have the mastectomies, which would be a final procedure without further treatment.
From the Today interview, it sounds like the Rancics did everything right as they made their decision. They talked to doctors, read research and made a list of pros and cons (Bill Rancic used a yellow legal pad for this, his wife said). They made their decision as a couple and supported each other.
Giuliana Rancic said that at one point her husband told her, "I just need you around for the next 50 years, kid…so let's get you healthy." She said that if she had chosen another lumpectomy, medication and radiation, her chances of a recurrence sometime in her lifetime would be 20 to 40 percent. But with the double mastectomy and reconstruction, it was less than 1 percent.
She described the decision as an extremely difficult one but a friend provided enormous help by allowing Rancic to see what her chest looked like after mastectomy and reconstruction.
The Today Show also brought on a breast cancer surgeon to provide even more context. In my opinion, this is the best way to use celebrities who are willing to be public about their diseases. Rancic undoubtedly helped other women facing the same choice. Her ultimate message is a very important one. "There's no right or wrong answer," she said. "Every person has to make the best decision for themselves."