Jill Martin says she'll 'most likely need chemotherapy' after double mastectomy
"Today" show correspondent Jill Martin, who recently underwent a double mastectomy, says she is determining her oncology plan with her doctor. Credit: Getty Images / Dimitrios Kambouris
"Today" lifestyle correspondent and Long Island native Jill Martin, who recently underwent a double mastectomy for breast cancer, says she will require further surgery and “will most likely need chemotherapy because of the aggressiveness of the tumor.”
“What an earth-shattering six weeks,” began Martin, 47, in a more than 1,200-word essay on the NBC morning show’s website Monday. During that time, she tested positive for the breast-cancer predictive BRCA2 gene mutation, was diagnosed with cancer and had both breasts removed.
She assured that, “Honestly, physically, I am doing OK. (Emotionally is a different story; it's been a roller coaster.)” Her oncologist, Dr. Joseph Sparano, told her “that there is a good chance I am cancer-free, but I need further treatment to help ensure that.”
Surgeon Dr. Elisa Port had removed “an aggressive tumor,” Martin wrote, and “18 lymph nodes, one of which was cancerous. They actually test the nodes in real time, so I found out the results of the biopsy when I woke up from the four-hour surgery. There is always a small possibility that cancerous cells could have escaped,” and Martin said she must plan for “my long road ahead, and what the doctor suggests I do to prevent this insidious disease from coming back.”
On Wednesday, wrote the Plainview born-and-raised Southampton resident, her oncologist will help her determine her treatment plan. “He will look at the findings from my Oncotype test,” referring to the company Exact Sciences’ Oncotype DX Breast DCIS Score Test, which “determines the activity of a group of genes and how likely they are to respond to treatment.”
“I do already know for sure I will need to have another surgery, preventatively, to remove my ovaries and fallopian tubes to decrease my risk of ovarian cancer,” Martin added. “In my case, I will need a full hysterectomy, as I have had fibroid issues in the past. I will also need to take anti-hormonal drugs for 5 years. And I will most likely need chemotherapy because of the aggressiveness of the tumor.”
And as she has urged previously, Martin recommended genetic testing.
“Many dear friends, viewers and family have said, ‘I am afraid to have any kind of genetic testing, as I am afraid of what I will find out.’ I totally understand that sentiment and reasoning. But let me be very clear: Any preventative measures you can take, although not easy, are easier than battling cancer. This entire process is life-changing, but adding cancer to the mix is a different kind of battle — one I do not wish on anyone.”
