American actor Busy Philipps has disclosed that doctors diagnosed her with a rare grade 2 oligodendroglioma earlier this year and that she underwent two brain operations, bringing a private six-month health ordeal into public view. In an interview published by People on Wednesday, August 26, the 47-year-old said she is grateful to be alive and is now working again. ABC News, The Guardian and El País also reported her account.
Philipps said a full-body MRI on February 12 detected a lesion even though she had no clear neurological symptoms. The appointment came just after the death from colorectal cancer of her friend and former Dawson's Creek co-star James Van Der Beek. She had considered cancelling the scan while grieving, but said her former husband, filmmaker Marc Silverstein, encouraged her to keep it. Specialists then ordered further testing and identified the tumor.
On March 2, surgeons performed an operation lasting about five hours and removed a mass measuring 2.6 centimeters, according to the reports. Philipps returned home two days later after an initially rapid recovery. Her doctors told People that an oligodendroglioma can grow slowly and can recur over time, while the early discovery improved the prospect of removing the mass completely. The condition is considered malignant, but her physicians described its prognosis as favorable compared with other malignant gliomas.
A complication emerged in April when a dermatologist noticed that the surgical incision did not look right. Tests found a staphylococcal infection, and Philipps underwent a second procedure on April 27 to clean the wound and remove one of the small titanium fasteners used during the first surgery. She said the setback was emotionally harder than the initial recovery because it made her feel that she had returned to the beginning of treatment.
Philipps said her medical team does not currently recommend chemotherapy or radiation. Instead, she will receive regular scans to watch for recurrence. She credited support from family and friends, including actor Michelle Williams, and said the experience reinforced her belief that patients should seek information when they sense something may be wrong. Her comments described her own case and did not establish a general screening recommendation.
The actor has since resumed work on the forthcoming legal drama Cupertino, in which she plays Natalia Boutella. The disclosure connects a major personal health update with her return to television production after months of surgery and recovery. Continued imaging will guide her care, while the publication of her account marks the first time she has publicly detailed the diagnosis, the infection and the two operations.
Comments