Supermodel Elle Macpherson reveals secret cancer battle and tells how she refused chemo despite 32 doctors’ advice
Elle claims she's now in remission after controversially choosing not to undergo medical treatment
ELLE Macpherson has revealed her secret cancer battle for the first time, saying she refused chemotherapy – despite 32 doctors’ advice.
Supermodel Elle, 60, disclosed that she faced breast cancer seven years ago, but now claims to be in remission after controversially choosing not to undergo traditional medical treatment.
The Aussie star shares in her upcoming memoir, Life, Lessons, and Learning to Trust Yourself, that the detection came as a “shock” and left her “confused”.
After undergoing a lumpectomy, the WelleCo founder was diagnosed with HER2 positive estrogen receptive intraductal carcinoma.
Her doctors recommended a treatment plan that included a mastectomy, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and breast reconstruction.
However, Elle chose to forgo conventional medical treatments.
Though alternative treatments can help with symptoms of cancer, such as nausea and fatigue, there is no evidence to say they can cure the disease.
Cancer Research UK states: “There is no scientific evidence to prove that any type of alternative therapy can help to control or cure cancer.
“Some alternative therapies might be unsafe and can cause harmful side effects.”
Alternative therapies, which include acupuncture, aromatherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, hypnosis, massage and more , are not available on the NHS and so are only available to those who can pay to go private.
In an interview to promote her book, Elle told that she spent time praying and meditating on a Miami beach, ultimately deciding against pharmaceutical treatments.
She also rented a house in Phoenix, Arizona for eight months where she “holistically treated” her cancer under the guidance of her primary doctor, a doctor of naturopathy, her holistic dentist, osteopath, chiropractor and two therapists.
What treatments were offered to Elle?
Elle had a lumpectomy which is a conventional treatment to remove an area of cancer from the breast. It is also called breast-conserving surgery.
According to Cancer Research UK, this may be offered if the cancer is small compared to the breast size, in a suitable position or in only one area of the breast.
Chemotherapy or hormonal therapy may also be offered before surgery (neo-adjuvant treatment) to shrink the cancer and make a lumpectomy possible.
Radiotherapy is usually offered after this to kill any breast cancer cells that may be left in the breast to reduce the risk of it returning.
If after the surgery more tissue needs removing, but the surgeon does not think another breast-conserving operation is likely to be successful, they may recommend a mastectomy and potentially breast reconstruction.
Hormonal therapy reduces the amount of oestrogen in the body. It can prevent breast cancer cells from growing in women who have ER positive breast cancer, like Elle.
Staying in the house alone, Elle said she spent her days “focusing and devoting every single minute to healing myself”.
She admitted that rejecting standard medical advice was “the hardest thing” she’s ever done, but that ignoring her own instincts would have been even more difficult.
The runway veteran also expressed her belief that chemotherapy and surgery were too “extreme” for her situation.
Elle is now in what she calls “clinical remission”, though she prefers to refer to it as “complete wellness”.
She explained that some of her loved ones had mixed feelings about her choice not to have chemotherapy.
Her youngest son, Cy, 21, supported her fully, while her older son, Flynn, 26, had reservations about her decision.
Elle said, “Flynn, being more traditional, was uncomfortable with my choice. But as my son, he stood by me and supported me, even if he didn’t agree with my approach.”
Her former partner Arpad Busson, who separated from Elle in 2005 after nearly a decade together, didn’t agree with her methods either but wrote her a letter expressing pride in her courage.
The NHS advises that breast cancer treatment is personalised, based on the type and stage of cancer and the patient’s health.
Main treatments include surgery to remove the cancer, radiotherapy to destroy remaining cells, and chemotherapy to shrink the tumour or prevent its return.
Hormone therapy may be used for hormone-sensitive cancers, and targeted therapies like trastuzumab are available for specific cases.
The NHS highlights that combining these treatments often leads to better outcomes.
Elle previously experienced a cancer scare in 2013 when she found a lump in her breast on her 49th birthday.
Although it was benign, the experience prompted her to rethink her approach to health and wellness.
Reflecting on that time, Elle told the , “I was away shooting Britain and Ireland’s Next Top Model, so I couldn’t see my doctor and I was really panicking.
“It was four weeks before I got the biopsy results, so it was a long-drawn-out and stressful period of not knowing.
“I was lucky – it was a fibroadenoma [a benign growth of fibrous tissue], but it was a really big warning. I did some soul searching and realised that maybe I was taking the wrong vitamins and minerals, not eating properly and was too stressed.”
Responding to the news of Elle Macpherson’s breast cancer diagnosis seven years ago, Jane Murphy, clinical nurse specialist at Breast Cancer Now, said: “Each person’s breast cancer diagnosis is different, and as such the treatment they are recommended will be tailored to their individual situation and agreed by them and a team of breast cancer experts. Specialists base this on robust clinical evidence.
“Elle’s personal experience highlights the complexities around navigating and making treatment decisions that are right for the individual, and we encourage anyone with questions or concerns about their treatment options to speak to their specialist treatment team.
“At Breast Cancer Now, we’re here for anyone affected by breast cancer and want people to know they can talk to us about anything that’s on their mind – we’re here to listen, and give people a confidential space to seek the support and information they need to make fully informed decisions that are right for them. To speak to our expert nurses call our free and confidential helpline on 0808 800 6000.”
The dangers of alternative therapies for cancer
By Vanessa Chalmers, Health Features Editor
Anyone can refuse cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy, if they wish to.
Complementary therapies may be used alongside conventional medical treatments to improve your quality of life and cope with cancer symptoms of treatment side effects.
Alternative therapies, on the other hand, are used instead of medical treatment.
There are various reasons why someone may choose to have alternative therapy.
Cancer Research UK says: “Using alternative therapy can become more important to people with advanced cancer if their conventional treatment is no longer helping to control it. It is understandable that they hope that alternative therapies might work.
“But, there is no scientific evidence to prove that any type of alternative therapy can help to control or cure cancer. Some alternative therapies might be unsafe and can cause harmful side effects.”
Cancer experts fear that those who promote alternative treatments give hope to people that they can be cured.
They typically rely on individual experiences from people who claim the therapy has helped them – but this is not enough evidence for it to be supported scientifically.
Cancer Research UK says: “Unfortunately, some alternative therapies are just money making schemes. People can end up paying a great deal of money for something that has not been properly tested. Or has not proven to work in scientific studies or clinical trials.
“This is very unfair on people with cancer. They might be vulnerable and willing to try anything they think has a chance of curing the cancer. This is one of our main concerns.”
