Author shares cancer surgery update and difficult treatment choices ahead

Health & Fitness
24 Apr 2026 • 11:05 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Author shares cancer surgery update and difficult treatment choices ahead

  • Novelist Jane Fallon, the long-term partner of Ricky Gervais, has confirmed her second breast cancer surgery was successful, achieving the necessary clear margin on the original excision.
  • During the procedure, a new small patch of precancerous cells was found, but medical professionals determined that additional surgery would be unnecessary, noting that a significant percentage of precancerous cells do not develop into cancer.
  • Fallon consulted with an oncologist and decided against radiation therapy, concluding that the potential risks of the treatment outweighed the benefits in her particular situation.
  • She is now weighing her options, which include taking Tamoxifen or a similar drug, or adopting a 'wait and see' approach, expressing nervousness about the potential side effects of medication.
  • The 65-year-old author, who received her breast cancer diagnosis following a routine mammogram, shared her eagerness to 'get back to normal' after the positive outcome of her treatment.

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