Elle Macpherson's Breast Cancer Story Is Raising Some Eyebrows
Elle Macpherson revealed this week that she was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago, and that she chose to treat her condition in what she called a “holistic” way.
In an interview with Australian Women’s Weekly published Monday, the model and actor recalled finding a lump in her breast in 2014, and said her doctors discovered early-stage cancer during surgery to remove the mass.
“It was a shock, it was unexpected, it was confusing, it was daunting in so many ways,” Macpherson, 60, said of her diagnosis. “And it really gave me an opportunity to dig deep in my inner sense to find a solution that worked for me.”
After her physicians found she had Stage 0 HER2 positive estrogen receptive intraductal carcinoma during the initial lumpectomy, Macpherson went against the recommendations of 32 different doctors and experts who suggested she undergo chemotherapy, hormonal therapy or a mastectomy.
Instead, she turned to what she called a “holistic approach,” which included work with a naturopathy practitioner, a holistic dentist, an osteopath, a chiropractor and therapists, according to AWW.
In excerpts from her upcoming book “Elle,” published by the magazine, Macpherson wrote: “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.”
“Sometimes an authentic choice from the heart makes no sense to others... but it doesn’t have to,” she wrote.
The model told AWW that “in traditional terms, they’d say I’m in clinical remission, but I would say I’m in utter wellness.”
“Truly, from every perspective, every blood test, every scan, every imaging test,” she said. “But also emotionally, spiritually and mentally — not only physically.”
Many medical professionals and cancer survivors have reacted to Macpherson’s account with shock, calling her endorsement of a holistic-only approach irresponsible and misinformed.
Dr. Liz O’Riordan, a cancer expert and co-author of “The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer,” posted a video online emphasizing the “potential dangers of choosing alternative treatment” alone, noting that treating cancer solely with alternative means can increase one’s risk of dying “by six times.”
Dr. Skyler Johnson, an assistant professor at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Cancer Institute, wrote that it was “incredibly irresponsible of Elle Macpherson to claim her cancer was cured holistically when she had upfront lumpectomy,” and also pointed out that “breast cancer patients who refuse all treatments are ~6x more likely to die.”
Various experts underscored the importance of seeking out the opinions of licensed doctors and medical professionals.
In her interview, Macpherson did acknowledge that her story only reflected her own choices and should not be taken as medical advice.
“I’m simply sharing what I discovered through my own real experiences,” she said. “I want to help and encourage others to follow their heart and give things a go.”
