Linda Perry reveals she had a double mastectomy after breast cancer diagnosis which would have only given her months to live: 'I feel so lucky'
- The What's Up hitmaker revealed in her documentary that she had realized that she had cancer whole preparing for an elective breast reduction surgery
- Perry's tissue was submitted for a routine pathology evaluation after surgery and doctors had discovered the musician had triple-negative cancer in her breast
- Triple-negative breast cancer 'tends to grow and spread faster, has fewer treatment options, and tends to have a worse prognosis (outlook)'
- READ MORE: Linda Perry shows off her rock n' roll style as she's joined by son Rhodes, nine, at the premiere of her documentary Let It Die Here in NYC
Rock legend Linda Perry has revealed that she had a double mastectomy after a breast cancer diagnosis which would have only given her months to a couple of years to live.
The 59-year-old former 4 Non Blondes frontwoman - who premiered her documentary Linda Perry: Let It Die here last week - talked about her secret health battle with People on Wednesday.
She said: 'I feel so lucky because there’s so many women that don’t get that opportunity.'
The What's Up hitmaker revealed in her aforementioned documentary that she had realized that she had cancer whole preparing for an elective breast reduction surgery.
Perry explained: 'My doctor basically said the cancer that I had was the kind that she finds in people where they have six months to maybe two years to live.
Rock legend Linda Perry has revealed that she had a double mastectomy after a breast cancer diagnosis which would have only given her months to a couple of years to live
Perry is seem performing with her group the 4 Non Blondes in September 1993
'And I would’ve never found it, and I would’ve never done anything about it when I started feeling off, because I would’ve thought it was because of my mom and the stressful situation I was under.'
According to People, Perry's tissue was submitted for a routine pathology evaluation after surgery and the doctors had discovered that the musician had triple-negative cancer in her breast.
According to the American Cancer Society, triple-negative breast cancer 'tends to grow and spread faster, has fewer treatment options, and tends to have a worse prognosis (outlook).'
Perry explained that she would not have found the cancer if she did not opt for the elective surgery, she would not have found out until it was too late as she would have assumed her symptoms were due to stress as she was caring for her ill mother at the time.
The musician explained that her doctor revealed her options included radiation and a double mastectomy as she told People the latter option was a 'no brainer.'
Perry was actually in the middle of filming her documentary when she received her diagnosis and she and director Don Hardy agreed to keep the cameras rolling through the challenging time.
She explained : 'The hammer was on me, and this happened in real time. I remember calling Don and going, "You’re not going to believe this."
'And he’s like, "Well, do you want to talk about it?" And I’m like, "Well, we’re in it. Let’s just do it."'
The 59-year-old former 4 Non Blondes frontwoman - who premiered her documentary Linda Perry: Let It Die here last week - talked about her secret health battle with People on Wednesday; she is pictured in February 2004
The What's Up hitmaker revealed in her documentary Linda Perry: Let It Die that she had realized that she had cancer whole preparing for an elective breast reduction surgery; she is pictured in Los Angeles back in 1990
According to People, Perry's tissue was submitted for a routine pathology evaluation after surgery and the doctors had discovered that the musician had triple-negative cancer in her breast; Perry pictured in June 2003
Perry seen with her band 4 Non Blondes in March 1993
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world and affects more than two MILLION women a year
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Each year in the UK there are more than 55,000 new cases, and the disease claims the lives of 11,500 women. In the US, it strikes 266,000 each year and kills 40,000. But what causes it and how can it be treated?
What is breast cancer?
It comes from a cancerous cell which develops in the lining of a duct or lobule in one of the breasts.
When the breast cancer has spread into surrounding tissue it is called 'invasive'. Some people are diagnosed with 'carcinoma in situ', where no cancer cells have grown beyond the duct or lobule.
Most cases develop in those over the age of 50 but younger women are sometimes affected. Breast cancer can develop in men, though this is rare.
Staging indicates how big the cancer is and whether it has spread. Stage 1 is the earliest stage and stage 4 means the cancer has spread to another part of the body.
The cancerous cells are graded from low, which means a slow growth, to high, which is fast-growing. High-grade cancers are more likely to come back after they have first been treated.
What causes breast cancer?
A cancerous tumour starts from one abnormal cell. The exact reason why a cell becomes cancerous is unclear. It is thought that something damages or alters certain genes in the cell. This makes the cell abnormal and multiply 'out of control'.
Although breast cancer can develop for no apparent reason, there are some risk factors that can increase the chance, such as genetics.
What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
The usual first symptom is a painless lump in the breast, although most are not cancerous and are fluid filled cysts, which are benign.
The first place that breast cancer usually spreads to is the lymph nodes in the armpit. If this occurs you will develop a swelling or lump in an armpit.
How is breast cancer diagnosed?
- Initial assessment: A doctor examines the breasts and armpits. They may do tests such as a mammography, a special x-ray of the breast tissue which can indicate the possibility of tumours.
- Biopsy: A biopsy is when a small sample of tissue is removed from a part of the body. The sample is then examined under a microscope to look for abnormal cells. The sample can confirm or rule out cancer.
If you are confirmed to have breast cancer, further tests may be needed to assess if it has spread. For example, blood tests, an ultrasound scan of the liver or a chest X-ray.
How is breast cancer treated?
Treatment options which may be considered include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment. Often a combination of two or more of these treatments are used.
- Surgery: Breast-conserving surgery or the removal of the affected breast depending on the size of the tumour.
- Radiotherapy: A treatment which uses high energy beams of radiation focused on cancerous tissue. This kills cancer cells, or stops them from multiplying. It is mainly used in addition to surgery.
- Chemotherapy: A treatment of cancer by using anti-cancer drugs which kill cancer cells, or stop them from multiplying.
- Hormone treatments: Some types of breast cancer are affected by the 'female' hormone oestrogen, which can stimulate the cancer cells to divide and multiply. Treatments which reduce the level of these hormones, or prevent them from working, are commonly used in people with breast cancer.
How successful is treatment?
The outlook is best in those who are diagnosed when the cancer is still small, and has not spread. Surgical removal of a tumour in an early stage may then give a good chance of cure.
The routine mammography offered to women between the ages of 50 and 70 means more breast cancers are being diagnosed and treated at an early stage.
For more information visit breastcancernow.org or call its free helpline on 0808 800 6000
Last week the hitmaker attended the premiere of the new documentary about her life, Linda Perry: Let It Die Here, with her son at the 2024 Tribeca Festival in New York City on Thursday.
The songwriter showed off her distinctive style as she posed with her nine-year-old son, Rhodes Gilbert Perry — whom she shares with ex-wife Sara Gilbert — on the red carpet.
The musician donned her signature wide-brim black hat along with a leather jacket, a grey t-shirt, and matching black pants.
Perry is a Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer who's crafted hits for superstars like Adele, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus and Celine Dion among others. She first rose to fame via her chart-topping hit 'What's Up' with her band 4 Non Blondes in 1993.
The documentary, directed by Don Hardy, shows an intimate look at Perry's life and illustrious career.
Layered gold necklaces adorned her neck at the event, while suspenders peeked out from under her jacket.
She added height to her frame with black platform heel boots.
The star accentuated her eyes with a dramatic smokey eyeshadow look for the occasion.
Perry attended the premiere of the new documentary about her life, Linda Perry: Let It Die Here, with her son, nine, at the 2024 Tribeca Festival in New York City on Thursday
Meanwhile Rhodes showed off his own unique style, rocking a long shirt with a cross motif, black gloves and leggings as well as sparkly black boots.
Perry shares joint legal custody of Rhodes with her ex, The Conners star Sara, 49.
The pair finalized their divorce and custody agreement in 2021, nearly two years after ending their six-year marriage.
They met in 2011 and tied the knot in 2014, after Perry proposed in 2013.
The songwriter showed off her distinctive style as she posed with her son, Rhodes Gilbert Perry, on the red carpet
Perry shares her son with her ex, The Conners star Sara Gilbert, 49. Gilbert filed for divorce from Perry in December 2019, citing 'irreconcilable differences'
The musician donned her signature wide-brim black hat along with a leather jacket, a grey t-shirt, and matching black pants
Layered gold necklaces adorned her neck at the event, while suspenders peeked out from under her jacket
Rhodes showed off his own unique style, rocking a long shirt with a cross motif, black gloves and leggings as well as sparkly black boots
Linda and her son Rhodes performed during the big premiere in New York
As she belted into the mic, her son sang along
The rocker showed off her guitar skills at one point in the set
She encouraged the crowd to sing along
Also present was Stella Rose Gahan, 24, who put on a leggy display in a black dress with a sizzling side slit going all the way to her midriff.
Her platinum blonde strands were styled into a pixie cut.
Her famous father Dave Gahan, 62 — the lead singer of Depeche Mode — was in attendance as well.
Dave sported a white windbreaker over a black tee, and pink-tinted glasses.
According to the announcement for the documentary, the film is 'an intimate look at a vulnerable and courageous woman as she navigates life-altering personal circumstances amidst gnawing career decisions.'
'Linda's past and present collide as she seeks to answer the big questions she can no longer avoid: Who am I? Am I loved? What's my purpose? What will I leave behind?'
'When I watched this documentary for the first time, I felt proud of how revealing it is, and a little scared,' Perry said of the film, as per Variety.
'It gave me some clarity, because I was able to separate myself from the character on the screen and feel empathy for her. As much as I love being creative, I will admit that it’s also incredibly taxing at times.'
The Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer, who's crafted hits for superstars like Adele, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Dolly Parton and more, also posed for portraits at the festival
The film, directed by Don Hardy, shows an intimate look at Perry's life and illustrious career. There is no information as to when the documentary will be available for wider viewing
'I don't know how to make music without bringing my deepest emotions into it, and doing that can leave me feeling raw and exposed and vulnerable.'
'But, that is the tradeoff. In a way, all artists–who are doing it honestly, anyway–are sacrificing themselves to their art. This is what "Let It Die Here" is about.'
The documentary features interviews with Perry's colleagues, family, and friends, along with new performance and recording footage.
There is no information as to when the documentary will be available for wider viewing.
