The Real Housewives of Orange County star Peggy Sulahian has opened up about her cancer ordeal which resulted in her having both breasts removed.
The RHOC star took to her Bravo blog to “clear-up” the facts about her case after her plight featured again on this week’s episode.
While cancer runs in her family, she tested negative when undergoing BRCA gene testing. However, she stressed that the result does NOT guarantee that you won’t get cancer.
And she told how when she had a biopsy after a MRI scan found a mass in her right breast, part of it was already found to be pre-cancerous.
She said: “Despite being negative on the BRCA gene testing, the biopsy revealed pre cancerous cells within my right breast.
“Few weeks later, we scheduled a surgery to remove the 25 mm of mass, and sent the mass to the pathologist.
“In a matter of weeks, I was told that of the 25 mm removed, 3mm of it was already cancer.”
She said she was then given three choices — chemotherapy, radiation, or removal of the right breast. But she decided to have both breasts removed “to be as safe as possible”.
She also urged other women to continue to stay on top of mammograms and MRIs, adding: “I want to emphasize that testing negative on the BRCA gene does NOT guarantee being free of cancer.”
Peggy said that having both breasts removed lead to a “long healing process mentally and physically” but that she found it totally worth is so she didn’t have to live her life in fear.
She said she is now considering becoming more active in cancer communities to offer advice and provide emotional support to other women dealing with the disease.