Navratilova about being diagnosed with cancer again: “I was in complete panic for three days”

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Martina Navratilova (66) has again spoken about her health. In January this year, the Czech woman was diagnosed with cancer for the second time after 2010: laryngeal and breast cancer.

In the podcast ‘On with Kara Swisher’, Navratilova now gives insight into the most difficult time of her life. She explains why the second cancer diagnosis was worse than the first and what its consequences were.

Navratilova: “The diagnosis in January 2023 was throat cancer. When they looked where exactly the cancer was, they found a lump in my breast, a second cancer,” said the former number one. The first cancer (2010, breast cancer) was already serious, but this time the diagnosis pulled the rug from under Navratilova’s feet away.

Stared death in the eye

“When the doctors told me I was in total panic for three days and thought I might not be there until next year.”

The chances of survival for breast cancer are greater than for throat cancer. Five years after diagnosis, 87 percent of patients are still alive. For throat cancer this is 63 percent. “You’re not thinking about that right now.”

Navratilova continued: “A list of things I wanted to do immediately came into my head. I immediately thought about it. After all, I could have died.”

I couldn’t sneeze or yawn

The time was the toughest the tennis icon has ever experienced. Compared to her first battle with cancer in 2010, the second was much more mentally stressful. Ingestion? “It wasn’t possible. I lost a total of seven kilos.”

The Czech woman was even happier when the doctors told her after a few weeks that the treatment had a positive effect. Since June, both the larynx and breast cancer have been defeated.

“The most important match of my life,” said Navratilova, who is still plagued by the disease. “I have traumatic memories when I come to New York, because I was treated there for a number of weeks.” (par)

Source : Blick