Former Desperate Housewives actress Marcia Cross was diagnosed with anal cancer.
She has been incredibly open about her journey to fight a notoriously private disease, and now she's working to spread awareness about her cancer's possible cause.
Former Desperate Housewives actress Marcia Cross was diagnosed with anal cancer.
She has been incredibly open about her journey to fight a notoriously private disease, and now she's working to spread awareness about her cancer's possible cause.
During an appointment with her gynecologist for what she thought was a normal exam, her doctor discovered a mass.
Her rectal exam revealed that a cancerous mass was present on her anus.
"I was so not thinking anything was wrong, because I didn't have any symptoms," She said.
Thankfully, her doctor had some reassuring news for her.
"She gave me an exam and came around and said, 'Well, I just want you to know, whatever it is, it’s curable.'"
She then underwent radiation and chemotherapy.
In a series of Instagram posts, she shared what the experience was like to battle cancer.
By the time she posted, she was 8 months post treatment!
After posting a picture of herself post-hair loss, she made sure to clarify to her followers that she was well.
She also felt amazing having finally shared what she had been going through, and wrote a note to post to Instagram to say the same.
But thankfully, the news is still good!
Her husband, Tom Mahoney, was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2009. He is now in remission as well, which makes them a very lucky family indeed.
Now that she's well, Marcia chose to sit down with CBS News and share everything about her experience with anal cancer—and how it may relate to her husband's throat cancer.
She has a frank, light-hearted approach to the subject of anal cancer:
"I know there are people who are ashamed. You have cancer! You have to then also feel ashamed? Like you did something bad, you know, because it took up residence in your anus?"
But now? She's totally fine with saying what her cancer is, and she's happy to repeat it.
"Even for me, it took a while. Anus, anus, anus! Ha. You just have to get used to it."
The common denominator is HPV, or human papilloma virus.
HPV was the likely culprit of her husband's throat cancer in 2009, and now it looks like it could have been the cause of her anal cancer, as well.
Get your heads out of the gutter!
First of all, HPV can be responsible for anal, cervix, genitals, and throat cancers.
And while it can spread through sex, it can also just spread through skin-to-skin contact.
Through good 'ol vaccination.
Now that Marcia knows that she and her husband's cancers may not only be related, but could have been caused by HPV, she plans on getting her twin daughters their HPV shots.
Marcia said, "My girls don't know it, but they're up for their first shot at the end of the school year. They're 12."
Her twin daughters were only two when their family went through its first cancer scare.
Though she had a really good support system behind her when she went through treatment!
"What I had was a bevy of girlfriends … I called them my 'anal angels.'"
Her sense of humor is incredible.
And she's far more in tune to her own bathroom habits.
"I don't think I'll ever take it for granted. I'm the girl who goes to the bathroom now and I go 'Yes! It's great what my body can do! I'm so grateful."
They recommend that children from ages 11-12 be vaccinated against HPV.
With two doses of the vaccine, children can be spared cancer scares that may face anyone older than they are.
Stay safe, everyone!