BBC 6 Music Presenter Rhianna Dhillon Diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer at 37
The broadcaster, who has the BRCA1 genetic mutation, shared her diagnosis after undergoing a full hysterectomy and preparing for chemotherapy.
BBC 6 Music presenter Rhianna Dhillon has revealed her diagnosis with ovarian cancer at the age of 37. Dhillon, who carries the BRCA1 genetic mutation, shared the news two weeks prior to her surgery and is now preparing for a six-month chemotherapy treatment.
Dhillon underwent a full hysterectomy on Friday, expressing that she had not anticipated receiving an ovarian cancer diagnosis so young, as the National Health Service (NHS) notes that the disease mostly affects women over 50. She had previously undergone a preventative double mastectomy three years ago after testing positive for the BRCA1 gene in 2014.
A harmful mutation in the BRCA1 gene impairs the body's ability to repair damaged DNA, significantly increasing the lifetime risk of developing certain cancers.
In an emotional Instagram post, Dhillon shared a photo from her hospital bed, writing, "Even knowing I was at a much higher risk of getting ovarian cancer because of my BRCA1 genetic mutation, I wasn't expecting to get it QUITE so young. I thought I had more time." She added that the hysterectomy marked an "absolute full stop on one part of my life I definitely wasn't ready to say goodbye to." She anticipates the next six months will involve significant chemotherapy.
Dhillon thanked her "incredible support network," including her parents, brother, and friends, for their assistance over the past two weeks. "I don't think I've ever really understood how much community meant until I had to rely on mine," she stated.
Having a mutated BRCA gene, like that famously carried by Angelina Jolie, dramatically increases a woman's lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. Between one in 800 and one in 1,000 women carry a BRCA gene mutation, which elevates the risk of both breast and ovarian cancers. About 1.3 percent of women in the general population develop ovarian cancer, but this increases to 44 percent for women who inherit a harmful BRCA1 mutation.
Fellow broadcasters, including Lauren Laverne and Zoe Ball, sent messages of support to Dhillon. Adele Roberts also offered her well wishes.
Ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer among women and is most frequently diagnosed in women who have gone through menopause, though it can affect women of any age. Approximately 66 percent of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed in advanced stages, with 60 percent having spread to other parts of the body by diagnosis. Early symptoms can be vague and easily mistaken for less serious conditions like IBS or PMS, leading to late detection. Common symptoms include persistent bloating, a swollen abdomen, pelvic discomfort, feeling full quickly, and changes in urinary urgency.