Elle Macpherson reveals ‘shock’ breast cancer diagnosis, refused chemotherapy from 32 doctors: ‘It was unexpected’
Elle Macpherson has revealed that she was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago and is now finally in remission.
The supermodel, 60, said she refused to undergo chemotherapy treatment — despite it being strongly recommended by 32 doctors.
In her upcoming memoir “Elle: Life, Lessons, and Learning to Trust Yourself,” the Aussie catwalk star said she took an entirely holistic approach to her diagnosis, a decision that was not received well by her loved ones.
Following her lumpectomy seven years ago, the WelleCo founder was diagnosed with HER2-positive estrogen receptive intraductal carcinoma — a type of breast cancer characterized by a higher level of a protein that can help breast cells multiply quickly.
“It was a shock, it was unexpected, it was confusing, it was daunting in so many ways and it really gave me an opportunity to dig deep in my inner sense to find a solution that worked for me,” Macpherson told Women’s Weekly about her diagnosis.
Her doctor recommended undergoing a mastectomy with radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and the reconstruction of her breast.
But Macpherson was not interested in undergoing chemo. Instead, she wanted to try out “an intuitive, heart-led, holistic approach.”
The model explained that going against doctors’ advice was a “wonderful exercise in being true to myself, trusting myself and trusting the nature of my body and the course of action that I had chosen.”
“Saying no to standard medical solutions was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. But saying no to my own inner sense would have been even harder,” she said, adding that chemo and surgery sounded “too extreme.”
Admitting that “people thought I was crazy,” Macpherson said her chosen treatment plan “resonated” with her, and allowed to her “address emotional as well as physical factors associated with breast cancer.”
The model — who appeared on “Friends” in 1999 — said she rented a house in Phoenix, Ariz., where she “holistically treated” her cancer.
She said the experience allowed her to “focus and devote every single minute to healing myself.”
Dr. Martin Scurr, a retired UK physician, has doubts about Macpherson’s holistic approach. He said alternative therapies — such as exercise, sufficient sleep, stress reduction and a diet that enhances the good bacteria in the gut — are meant to complement orthodox cancer treatments.
“What worries me is that Elle will be seen as an example of the way forward for treating cancer,” Scurr wrote Tuesday in the Daily Mail. “And yet — while it is seven years since she was diagnosed — we would be wrong not to be cautious: the story is not over yet.”
Dr. Francisco J. Esteva, chief of the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Lenox Hill Hospital, said Macpherson’s decision to forgo chemotherapy highlights “the critical intersection of medical advice and personal belief systems” and the “importance of individualized care.”
“While chemotherapy is a cornerstone of breast cancer treatment, particularly for certain subtypes and stages where it has proven benefits in reducing recurrence and improving survival rates, it is not always the chosen path for every patient,” Esteva told The Post.
While Macpherson says she is in “clinical remission,” her sons Flynn, 26, and Cy, 21, had mixed reactions about her decision to go against the advice of medical professionals.
“Cy simply thought that chemo kills you. And so he never wanted me to do it because he thought that was a kiss of death,” she shared, adding that her eldest son had a different view.
“Flynn, being more conventional, wasn’t comfortable with my choice at all. He is my son, though, and would support me through anything and love me through my choices, even if he didn’t agree with them,” she added.
