Rita Wilson undergoes double mastectomy after breast cancer diagnosis

Wilson had been monitoring her lobular carcinoma in situ (or pre-cancer) for years with mammograms and MRI’s. But after recently undergoing two biopsies, she discovered that she also has PLCIS (pleomorphic carcinoma in situ), a form that is less well known. At that point, the pathology didn’t show any cancer — but a friend of Wilson’s who had undergone breast cancer herself urged Wilson to get a second opinion. Thankfully, she did. In fact, she got two other opinions, and both of those pathologists found invasive lobular carcinoma.

From there, Wilson decided to get a double mastectomy with reconstruction. Wilson, who has been married to Tom Hanks since 1988, said that she underwent the procedure with her husband by her side, and is looking forward to better health.

As Rita told People, “I share this to educate others that a second opinion is critical to your health. You have nothing to lose if both opinions match up for the good, and everything to gain if something that was missed is found, which does happen. Early diagnosis is key.”

Wilson, who is an actress, singer, and producer, released a music video for her new song “Girls Night In” on March 15th. She has temporarily taken leave from a starring role in the Broadway play Fish In The Dark, penned by (and also starring) Larry David. She plans on returning to the show May 5th.
“I am recovering and most importantly, expected to make a full recovery. Why? Because I caught this early, have excellent doctors and because I got a second opinion,” she explains.

Wilson is sharing her story in order to stress how important it is get a second opinion when it comes to getting a diagnosis. She says that at first, she wasn’t diagnosed with cancer until she took the advice of a friend with breast cancer to receive a second opinion from another pathologist, and then a third.

“You have nothing to lose if both opinions match up for the good, and everything to gain if something that was missed is found, which does happen,” she stresses. “Early diagnosis is key. … I hope this will encourage others to get a second opinion and to trust their instincts if something doesn’t ‘feel’ right.”
Wilson also gave a sweet shoutout to her “loving, supportive husband” Tom Hanks, who she’s been married to since 1988.

“I feel blessed to have a loving, supportive husband, family, friends and doctors and that I am the beneficiary of advances in the field of breast cancer and reconstruction,” she says. “I am getting better every day and look forward to renewed health.”

blog.thebreastcancersite.com