Strictly’s Amy Dowden has revealed she is undergoing a second mastectomy this week amid her breast cancer battle.
The professional dancer, 35, was diagnosed with the disease in May 2023 and underwent treatment including a mastectomy, chemotherapy, fertility treatment and also almost died of sepsis.
In February 2024, she revealed that doctors could find no evidence of the disease in her system, but that she wouldn’t officially get the all-clear for five years and would still need treatment.
In an Instagram post on Monday, the dancer – who was eliminated from Strictly first this year with Thomas Skinner – revealed she is now set for a second mastectomy.
She penned: ‘As you all know I’ve always been very open about my health and the care I receive. So I’d like to start by being clear what I am about to share is not to treat a new cancer diagnosis.
‘However following a recent appointment with my incredible medical team, we’ve decided that I’ll be having another mastectomy this week. They’re confident that, all going well, I can expect a straightforward recovery.’
Strictly’s Amy Dowden has revealed she is undergoing a second mastectomy amid her breast cancer battle. In 2024, doctors could find no evidence of the disease in her system, but had warned that she wouldn’t officially get the all-clear for five years
In an Instagram post on Monday, the dancer – who was eliminated from Strictly first this year with Thomas Skinner (pictured) – revealed she is now set for a second mastectomy
She explained: ‘Following a recent appointment with my incredible medical team, we’ve decided that I’ll be having another mastectomy… I can expect a straightforward recovery’
Amy concluded: ‘Once I have healed I look forward to rejoining my Strictly family.
‘Of course I’m going to miss not being there so much but I will be watching from home and look forward to cheering everyone on. Thank you always for all the support. Welsh love Amy xxx’.
As part of her ongoing cancer treatment, Amy visits her local oncology ward every month to receive an injection and to be monitored.
Last month Amy opened up about the deep sadness she feels over ‘letting down’ fellow cancer sufferers after she and her celebrity partner, Apprentice star Thomas, were the first to be voted off this series.
‘I’m gutted to be out of the competition because I really wanted to represent cancer survivors – and I feel like I’ve let them down,’ she said at the Women of the Year Awards at the Royal Lancaster hotel in London.
‘I wanted Thomas to go far but, selfishly, I wanted to do it for the cancer community. Since my diagnosis, I came back, got pulled out, came back again and then finished last.’
Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023, less than a year after she and fellow dancer Benjamin Jones were married.
She was given the all-clear early last year, but her initial return to Strictly – when she was partnered with JLS singer JB Gill – was cut short after just six weeks due to a foot injury.
‘I just wanted to show what you can be capable of following life after cancer,’ she said at the time.
‘But I keep telling myself, coming back onto Strictly and getting back on the dancefloor will show ladies and men there is life after a cancer diagnosis.’
As part of her ongoing cancer treatment, Amy visits her local oncology ward every month to receive an injection and to be monitored
When Amy was eliminated from the show last month she thanked Thomas for helping her regain her confidence amid her health battles.
She shared: ‘I’ve got to know the real Tom, and he is adorable. He’s looked after me. We’ve laughed so much.
‘We’ve worked so hard and a glitterball would have been amazing but what I’ve learnt in the last few years is happiness, health and being alive is more important than anything.
‘I’ve made a new friend for life and I wouldn’t change a thing. There is a Ballroom boy in there so I’m a bit gutted he didn’t get to do the Ballroom, but the last three years as you know have been quite difficult for me.
‘I lost all confidence as a dancer – but walking into the room with you with a massive smile and a laugh, you brought me back and, honestly, thank you.’
When asked by Tess Daly about their time on the show, Thomas added: ‘I’ve loved it. I’ve never danced before and my stay was short, but Amy’s amazing.
‘It’s been great fun and I’ve enjoyed it. I can’t really dance that well but I’ve had fun!
‘Thank you, Amy – sorry that we haven’t done too good, ’cause you’re a different class.’
Before the series started she insisted that she was feeling ‘fitter and stronger than ever right now’ in light of both her ongoing recovery from cancer as well as her injury last year which forced her to quit that series.
The star was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer at the age of just 32 in 2023 and made the decision early on to openly share her journey in the hope that it would help other people.
When asked how she knew the lump she discovered the day before her honeymoon was different, she admitted that the key to her early, lifesaving diagnosis was getting to know her breasts ahead of time.
She said: ‘It was a real solid lump for a start, and it wasn’t on the other breast.’
The dancer, who was forced to pull out of last year’s Strictly because of a foot injury, stressed: ‘If there is something that you are not sure about, go to the GP. Get a check-up.
While Amy was thankfully told she had ‘no evidence of cancer’ last year after surgery and chemotherapy, she has since spoken out about the ‘longest’ part of her journey – her recovery
Generally speaking, those who have had breast cancer are at the greatest risk of recurrence in the first five years
‘It doesn’t matter how big or small it might feel – don’t think of being a nuisance. It’s why we have the healthcare system we have in place.’
While Amy was thankfully told she had ‘no evidence of cancer’ last year after surgery and chemotherapy, she has since spoken out about the ‘longest’ part of her journey – her recovery.
Generally speaking, those who have had breast cancer are at the greatest risk of recurrence in the first five years.
The star previously said: ‘I was very deluded – I literally thought I would be ringing the bell and my life would come back.
‘I didn’t anticipate or realise the journey ahead of recovery and how long it was going to take, both physically and mentally, and I wish I had more preparation for that.’
Speaking in collaboration with Keep Ahead, a campaign to raise awareness of the aftermath of cancer initiated by Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK, Amy said that while she still has a challenging number of years ahead of her, she is getting through the uncertainty by doing what she loves, dancing.
She said: ‘Especially this year, just throwing myself into that – taking dance lessons, being on theatre tours, and being able to now do what I love most and what makes me happy is what has got me through some tough times.’
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world and affects more than two MILLION women a year
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Each year in the UK there are more than 55,000 new cases, and the disease claims the lives of 11,500 women. In the US, it strikes 266,000 each year and kills 40,000. But what causes it and how can it be treated?
What is breast cancer?
It comes from a cancerous cell which develops in the lining of a duct or lobule in one of the breasts.
When the breast cancer has spread into surrounding tissue it is called ‘invasive’. Some people are diagnosed with ‘carcinoma in situ’, where no cancer cells have grown beyond the duct or lobule.
Most cases develop in those over the age of 50 but younger women are sometimes affected. Breast cancer can develop in men, though this is rare.
Staging indicates how big the cancer is and whether it has spread. Stage 1 is the earliest stage and stage 4 means the cancer has spread to another part of the body.
The cancerous cells are graded from low, which means a slow growth, to high, which is fast-growing. High-grade cancers are more likely to come back after they have first been treated.
What causes breast cancer?
A cancerous tumour starts from one abnormal cell. The exact reason why a cell becomes cancerous is unclear. It is thought that something damages or alters certain genes in the cell. This makes the cell abnormal and multiply ‘out of control’.
Although breast cancer can develop for no apparent reason, there are some risk factors that can increase the chance, such as genetics.
What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
The usual first symptom is a painless lump in the breast, although most are not cancerous and are fluid filled cysts, which are benign.
The first place that breast cancer usually spreads to is the lymph nodes in the armpit. If this occurs you will develop a swelling or lump in an armpit.
How is breast cancer diagnosed?
- Initial assessment: A doctor examines the breasts and armpits. They may do tests such as a mammography, a special x-ray of the breast tissue which can indicate the possibility of tumours.
- Biopsy: A biopsy is when a small sample of tissue is removed from a part of the body. The sample is then examined under a microscope to look for abnormal cells. The sample can confirm or rule out cancer.
If you are confirmed to have breast cancer, further tests may be needed to assess if it has spread. For example, blood tests, an ultrasound scan of the liver or a chest X-ray.
How is breast cancer treated?
Treatment options which may be considered include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment. Often a combination of two or more of these treatments are used.
- Surgery: Breast-conserving surgery or the removal of the affected breast depending on the size of the tumour.
- Radiotherapy: A treatment which uses high energy beams of radiation focused on cancerous tissue. This kills cancer cells, or stops them from multiplying. It is mainly used in addition to surgery.
- Chemotherapy: A treatment of cancer by using anti-cancer drugs which kill cancer cells, or stop them from multiplying.
- Hormone treatments: Some types of breast cancer are affected by the ‘female’ hormone oestrogen, which can stimulate the cancer cells to divide and multiply. Treatments which reduce the level of these hormones, or prevent them from working, are commonly used in people with breast cancer.
How successful is treatment?
The outlook is best in those who are diagnosed when the cancer is still small, and has not spread. Surgical removal of a tumour in an early stage may then give a good chance of cure.
The routine mammography offered to women between the ages of 50 and 71 means more breast cancers are being diagnosed and treated at an early stage.
For more information visit breastcancernow.org or call its free helpline on 0808 800 6000
