Best-selling novelist Jane Fallon has announced that her second breast cancer surgery “went well” and she is “looking forward to getting back to normal”. The 65-year-old author, who is the long-term partner of comedian Ricky Gervais, shared the update on Instagram on Thursday.
Fallon was diagnosed with breast cancer following a routine mammogram just over a month ago. In her post, she explained that surgeons achieved a clear margin on the original excision, but discovered a new patch of precancerous cells on the other side of the removed tissue. However, she noted that doctors agreed further surgery would be “overkill”.
The author said she saw an oncologist and they decided the risks of radiation outweigh the benefits in her case. She is now considering either taking Tamoxifen or a similar drug, or adopting a “wait and see” approach, which she prefers. Fallon expressed nervousness about medication due to potential side effects but said there is no pressure to decide quickly.
According to the NHS, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the UK. Mammograms can detect tumours too small to feel, and early treatment improves success rates. Fallon has written 14 books, including Got You Back and Queen Bee. Her debut novel, Getting Rid Of Matthew, is being adapted into a comedy-romance film starring Emma Roberts, Luke Wilson, and Heather Graham.
