Actress Busy Philipps has announced that her six-month post-surgery MRI scan shows no signs of progression for her brain tumor. The scan, however, did detect a sinus infection, which Philipps noted made sense given a recent persistent redness and discomfort in her left eye.
Philipps, 47, was diagnosed with a grade 2 oligodendroglioma in February. The diagnosis followed a full-body MRI scan that she underwent the day after the death of her co-star James Van Der Beek from colon cancer. Philipps shared the update Tuesday on Instagram, stating, "6 month MRI done! NO signs of tumor progression!"
She further elaborated on the sinus infection, saying, "Well…i guess i’ll take it!" Philipps explained that the infection aligns with her ongoing eye irritation and a history of sinus issues. She has scheduled an appointment with a sinus doctor and is considering an anti-inflammation cleanse. She also noted that her eye felt painful and initially thought it was eczema.
Philipps underwent surgery in early March to remove a 2.6cm tumor. She revealed in a previous update that she had also developed a staphylococcus infection in her incision site in April, requiring another surgery. She recalled feeling as though she was back at square one after the second surgery.
She underwent the initial five-hour procedure with support from her ex-husband and close friend, Marc Silverstein, who is also the father of their two daughters, Birdie and Cricket. Philipps has previously shared that the tumor was diagnosed as malignant, but her doctor advised it had a favorable prognosis among malignant gliomas and that she would not require chemotherapy or radiation, only regular scans.
Philipps has reflected that some of her recent emotional fluctuations may have been linked to the tumor pressing on her frontal lobe, rather than perimenopause as she had previously assumed. She mentioned that her friend and former co-star Michelle Williams had pointed out Philipps's own statements about her brain feeling "broken" for the past few years.
The actress also shared that she had been keeping her close friends updated on her health via Instagram's "Close Friends" feature to shield her daughters from public discussion of her condition. She began filming her new show, the CBS legal drama Cupertino, just four and a half weeks after her initial surgery.
Philipps expressed gratitude for having undergone the MRI scan, admitting she initially questioned the expense given she did not have a job at the time. She had hinted at her health struggles in a March 19 Instagram post, describing the preceding weeks as the "weirdest 2.5 weeks of my life."