September 23, 2011
Wanda Sykes Discloses Double Mastectomy
Comedian Wanda Sykes sat down with talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and revealed for the first time she underwent a double mastectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
Sykes, 47, said, "Yeah, I know, it's scary."
Wanda's cancer was detected after she decided to have a breast reduction. "This was in February. I had real big boobs and I just got tired of knocking over stuff. My back was sore so it was time to have a reduction," Sykes explained.
She continued, "It wasn't until after the reduction that in the lab work, the pathology, that they found that I had DCIS [ductal carcinoma in situ] in my left breast. I was very, very lucky because DCIS is basically stage-zero cancer."
Wanda pointed out, "But cancer is cancer. I had the choice of, you can go back every three months and get it checked. But, I'm not good at keeping on top of stuff. I'm sure I'm overdue for an oil change and a teeth cleaning already."
Perhaps the most compelling reason Sykes decided to go through with the operation was because "I have a lot of breast cancer history on my mother's side of the family. I had both breasts removed... because now I have zero chance of having breast cancer."
"The Muppets" star stated quite matter-of-factly, "It sounds scary up front, but what do you want? Do you want to wait and not be as fortunate when it comes back and it's too late?"
The very personal episode with Wanda airs Monday on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."
