Journalist has spoken about recurrence of ovarian cancer, four years after initial diagnosis

CNN’s chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour has revealed she is again battling ovarian cancer, four years after announcing her initial diagnosis.

The 67-year-old British-Iranian journalist shared the news during an appearance on the “Changing the Ovarian Cancer Story” podcast this week.

“I have it again, but it’s being very well-managed,” Amanpour said, urging greater public understanding of how some cancers can recur and be treated effectively.

“I did reveal [it] publicly in 2021 because I was off the air for four weeks and people started to ask questions about where I am, have I been fired, am I alive, dead, whatever,” she said.

“I decided to say something because I actually wanted to do a service, not just to my viewers, but also to those who might be in a similar situation. I wanted to say what had happened to me and to listen to your body, because part of the reason I got such quick care was because I listened to my body and went straight to the doctors,” Amanpour told host Hannah Vaughan Jones.

She described how she sought an initial diagnosis after noticing a pain in her side, “which wasn’t anything I was familiar with”, and then found “it really did hurt when I went to the loo”.

After visiting the her doctor several times, she eventually got an ultrasound scan, which revealed the cancer.

Dr Angela George, a consultant medical oncologist in gynaecology at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, is working on Amanpour’s treatment plan and also appeared on the podcast.

She said: “Most women, by the time they get a diagnosis of ovarian cancer, will have often been going back and forth to the GP for sometimes a year or so with abdominal symptoms. It often gets misdiagnosed as reflux or indigestion, urinary tract infections, irritable bowel syndrome, so it’s really common for women to have that kind of experience of going back and forth until they finally get a test.

“Many women may have had the cancer for three or four years before it finally gets diagnosed.”

The announcement on the podcast has prompted an outpouring of support and well wishes for Amanpour as she continues treatment.

“Christiane, I am also rooting for you. You are such an inspiration to everyone. Thanks for sharing your story,” one person wrote on X.

“Thank you for sharing your journey,” wrote another. “It's incredibly important to advocate for ourselves and stay attuned to our bodies, especially when navigating complex health challenges like ovarian cancer.” (Independent)