- Marcia Cross, 57, spoke to CBS about her battle with anal cancer.
- She’s dedicated to educating people about getting regular medical exams in order to reduce the stigma surrounding anal cancer.
- Her cancer was most likely caused by human papilloma virus which is responsible for more than 91 percent of anal cancers.
In November 2017, Desperate Housewives alum Marcia Cross went to her doctor for her annual rectal exam when doctors discovered a cancerous mass in her anus. Now, cancer-free, Marcia is speaking out in the hopes of ending the stigma surrounding anal cancer.
In a new interview with Jon La Pook, MD, a CBS News medical contributor, Marcia opened up about her cancer diagnosis-and how she’s working to beat the stigma. “I know there are people who are ashamed, Marcia said. “You have cancer! You have to then also feel ashamed? Like you did something bad, you know, because it took up residence in your anus? I mean, come on, really. There’s enough on your plate.”
But with two weeks of chemo therapy and six weeks of radiation-the side effects of which the actress posted about on Instagram-Marcia was forced to come to terms with her new reality.
Though it took her a while to get comfortable speaking about her anus, Marcia knew there was no way around it: “Anus, anus, anus! Ha. You just have to get used to it,” she said. The responsibility she feels to normalize medical exams and asking doctors embarrassing questions is too great. Taking note of symptoms you find strange and unusual make them all the more important to have checked out-even if it has to do with your anus.
Marcia is also urging people to educate themselves on the human papilloma virus (HPV), which is responsible for more than 91 percent of anal cancers, in addition to cancers in the throat, genitals and cervix, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . The most common sign of anal cancer triggered by HPV is anal warts according to the American Cancer Society . Other signs include polyps and skin tags.
Oddly enough, Marcia’s husband, Tom Mahoney, was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2009-a disease that can also be caused by HPV, which can be spread from one person to another through sex or just by skin-to-skin contact. Dr. La Pook said Marcia and her husband’s cancers were likely related.
Fortunately, the types of HPV that most commonly cause cancer can be prevented by the current vaccine-something Marcia is relieved to know as a parent. She said her daughters Savannah and Eden, both 12, are up for their first shot at the end of the school year.
Now, a year and a half after her initial diagnosis, Marcia says she’s feeling great. “I’m feeling back to normal though it’s a new normal,” she said. “I don’t think I’ll ever take it for granted. I’m the girl who goes to the bathroom now and I go ‘Yes! It’s great what my body can do! I’m so grateful."”
Marcia Cross Reveals New Details About Anal Cancer To Help Destigmatize The Disease - Pulse Nigeria
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