EastEnders and Holby City actress Lisa Faulkner, 54, has revealed she underwent surgery for early-stage breast cancer and has since received the all-clear from doctors. The wife of MasterChef host John Torode shared the news on Instagram, urging her 372,000 followers to attend breast screenings.
Faulkner's Diagnosis and Surgery
Faulkner said she had surgery two weeks ago, describing it as "quite a big op." She stated: "I've had to have surgery because I've had the very early stages of breast cancer. I've had my results back, and they've got everything out, and so it's all clear, and I just need now to have some radiotherapy in a few weeks." She added: "I've still got quite a bit of healing to do, but I'm good, I'm well, and feeling so much better."
Importance of Mammograms
Faulkner credited the "wonderful NHS" for the scan and early treatment, saying: "I am so grateful that I went for my mammogram. Don't put them off, go, because they found this and without that mammogram it wouldn't have been picked up." The actress has four children and married Torode in 2019. The news comes nearly a year after Torode was sacked from MasterChef following an upheld allegation of using "highly offensive racist language."
Early Symptoms of Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer Org lists the following early symptoms: swelling of all or part of the breast; breast feeling tender, warm, or hard; skin irritation or dimpling; breast pain; nipple pain; an inverted nipple; redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin; nipple discharge other than breast milk; and a lump in the underarm area.
Rising Rates in Younger Women
New analysis shows the number of breast cancer cases in women under 50 has risen by 5% in one year. Charity CoppaFeel! reports that one in six people diagnosed with breast cancer are aged 49 and under. Diagnoses in people under 30 jumped by 78% from 2001 to 2019, and from 2022 to 2023, rates increased by 5% among 25- to 49-year-olds. The charity says patients under 50 are almost twice as likely to have late-stage cancer compared with those in their 60s, while under-25s are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with late-stage disease.
Call for Better Screening
Sophie Dopierala-Bull, director of services and engagement at CoppaFeel!, said: "Early diagnosis depends too heavily on whether young people know their bodies, whether they feel confident seeking help, whether they can access healthcare, and whether they are taken seriously when they get there. Awareness matters – CoppaFeel! has spent more than 15 years helping young people know their bodies and feel confident seeking help. But awareness alone cannot carry the weight of a system that was not built with young people in mind." The charity is calling for a seven-minute risk assessment to identify those needing earlier or more frequent screening.
NHS Guidance
The NHS says symptoms of breast cancer include a lump or swelling in the breast, a change in breast skin, a change in size or shape of breasts or nipples, or pain in the breast or armpit that does not go away. Women are invited for mammograms from age 50 to 71. The NHS advises seeing a GP if you have a lump or swelling, changes in breasts or nipples, or pain in the breast or armpit, especially with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer.
Secondary Breast Cancer Symptoms
If breast cancer spreads, symptoms depend on the affected area. Common sites include bones, liver, lungs, or brain. General symptoms may include fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, feeling unwell, nausea, or difficulty sleeping.
