Difference between revisions of "Mystery:Young Hollywood Breast Cancer Victims"

Revision as of 04:01, August 28, 2008

The average age of diagnosis of breast cancer is 64 years old.^[1]

In the Hollywood culture, however, there have been many tragic cases of breast cancer at far younger ages than expected:

• Australian soap opera star Belinda Emmett, who played in "Home and Away," was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 24, in 1998. She died of secondary bone cancer in 2006. ^[2]

• American singer Minnie Riperton was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 28. Riperton, the mother of two children, was diagnosed in 1976 and died in 1979. ^[3]

• Singer Anastacia was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 29 ^[4] in 2003. ^[5]

• Colombian-American singer Soraya was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000, at age 31.^[6] Her mother, grandmother, and maternal aunt all died of breast cancer. ^[7] She died of breast cancer in 2006 at age 37. ^[8]

• Aisha Bicknell, daughter of British actress Rita Tushingham, was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 33 in 2005. ^[9]

• Puerto Rican actress Adamari López was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 33 in 2005. ^[10]

• American actress Ann Jillian was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 35, in 1985. She had her first child in 1992. ^[11]

• British actress Amanda Mealing was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 35 in 2002. She is the mother of two sons, born in 1999 and 2002. ^[12]

• American actress Christina Applegate was diagnosed at age 36. ^[13]

• American actress Danitra Vance died of breast cancer in 1994, at age 40. ^[14]

• Australian pop star Kylie Minogue was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 36.^[15]
• American actress Oni Faida Lampley was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 37.^[16]
• American actress Kate Jackson was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 39.
• American actress Jill Eikenberry was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 39.^[12]
• American actress Cynthia Nixon was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 40.^[17][18]
• American actress Edie Falco was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 40.^[19]
• Singer Melissa Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 43.^[4]
• Norwegian actress and nude model Julie Ege was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 43.^[20]
• American actress Shirley Temple was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 44.^[21]
• Singer Olivia Newton-John was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 44.^[4]
• Singer Sheryl Crow was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 44. She announced her diagnosis in 2006. ^[22]
• Singer Carly Simon was diagnosed with breast cancer by age 52.^[23]

(add more)

Risk by age

Between ages 20 and 24, only 1.3 in 100,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer.^[24]

Here is the NCI's published levels of risk by age in the United States (the risk is lower in other countries):^[25]

By age 30: 1 in 2,525
By age 35: 1 in 622
By age 40: 1 in 217
By age 45: 1 in 93
By age 50: 1 in 50
By age 55: 1 in 33
By age 60: 1 in 24
By age 65: 1 in 17
By age 70: 1 in 14
By age 75: 1 in 11
By age 80: 1 in 10
By age 85: 1 in 9
Ever: 1 in 8 (more accurately, 1 in 7.5 in the U.S.)

Analysis

Personal health is generally kept confidential, and there are financial reasons for one not to publicize his or her health problems. The disclosure can cause a loss in jobs or income. This is particularly true for Hollywood stars who rely on attractiveness and sex appeal. Michael J. Fox, for example, understandably kept his Parkinson's disease confidential for as long as he could.

But cancellation of appearances for health reasons begs explanations, and the population of Hollywood stars likely to disclose medical conditions will roughly be the size of those who are active in appearances, shows, movies, etc.

A rough estimate of this population is as follows. In the music world, perhaps there have been 50 women who are active, well-known performers willing to disclose a diagnosis of breast cancer. In the television and movie industry, perhaps there are 450 who fall into that category. The total population from which the above names are drawn is perhaps 500, depending on age.

The list of breast cancers above will grow, but already it is plainly way above the expected occurrence of the disease. For example, there are likely no more than 500 Hollywood performers under age 30 who would publicly disclose a condition of breast cancer^{[Citation Needed]}, yet 3 developed breast cancer. But The typical incidence of that disease is only 2 out of 5000. The incidence in Hollywood appears to be more than 10 times that of the general population. If the population from which the above sample is drawn is twice as high, the incidence in Hollywood would still be more than 5 times the rate in the general population.

There is likely no more than 1000 in the population of Hollywood types under age 35 who would have publicly disclose breast cancer. The list above has 8 cases (and growing). The expected rate is only 1.5 out of 1000 in that age group.

(a start - improve)

References

1. ↑ http://breastcancer.lifetips.com/cat/61849/breast-cancer-diagnosis/
2. ↑ Home and Away actress dies of breast cancer [1]
3. ↑ IMDb: Minnie Riperton[2]
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} Sheryl Crow Battles Breast Cancer [3]
5. ↑ The Anastacia Fund[4]
6. ↑ Colombian-American singer Soraya dies [5]
7. ↑ Singer-Songwriter, Soraya, Offers Message Of Hope To Women With Breast Cancer[6]
8. ↑ Colombian-American singer Soraya dies [7]
9. ↑ The knack of coping with cancer [8] There is no history of breast cancer in the family, and Aisha knows she was unlucky to develop the disease at her age. The risk of being diagnosed with it in your thirties is relatively small - only 20 per cent of new cases are aged under 50. Up to the age of 30, the chance of developing it is one in 1,900 women. Aisha refuses to consider the statistics. She is focused on a complete recovery.
10. ↑ IMDb: Biography for Adamari López [9]
11. ↑ Ann Jillian - Inspiration[10]
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} Holby TV: Amanda Mealing [11]
13. ↑ US star Applegate fighting cancer [12] Applegate's publicist said she had benefited from early detection through an MRI ordered by her doctor.
14. ↑ IMDb: Biography for Danitra Vance [13]
15. ↑ http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/05/17/entertainment/main695716.shtml
16. ↑ http://www.answers.com/topic/oni-faida-lampley
17. ↑ http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/104294.php
18. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0633223/
19. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004908/bio
20. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0250774/bio
21. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000073/bio
22. ↑ Sheryl Crow Battles Breast Cancer[14]
23. ↑ http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/simon%20i%20didnt%20need%20my%20breast%20anymore_1068633
24. ↑ http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071025/LIFESTYLE03/710250424
25. ↑ http://www.mdanderson.org/topics/ethnicity/display.cfm?id=ffcc95a9-a03d-11d4-80fa00508b603a14&method=displayfull&pn=c1128f6f-4656-410d-96fa274b12a51d9d