Over recent years, more and more famous faces have opened up about their experience of the menopause. Where once ‘The Change’ was shrouded in stigma, celebs including Lisa Snowdon and Davina McCall have helped to shine a light on the natural part of ageing.
But speaking exclusively to OK!, Emmerdale actress Malandra Burrows has opened up about a side to menopause that not many people are aware of.
After Malandra came across a lump, the star was diagnosed with breast cancer in February this year, with doctors believing that it could’ve been caused by the menopause. “I thought it must be a gland, but a few days later it was still there, so I rang my GP and they asked if I could come in the next hour,” she explains.
Get exclusive celebrity stories and fabulous photoshoots straight to your inbox with OK!'s daily newsletter.Though she was initially told that it was a cyst, a follow-up scan and an ultrasound revealed that it was cancerous and Malandra has since undergone major surgery to remove the tumour. “Davina [McCall] has done a fabulous job of bringing menopause to the forefront, but I have never heard of menopausal cancer before,” she says. “They said because of the oestrogen and the way your hormonal balance changes, it's one of the most major causes of breast cancer.” So, as Malandra bravely opens up about her health journey, here’s everything you need to know about the link between the menopause and breast cancer… What is the menopause?
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