Elle Macpherson declined chemotherapy after secret breast cancer diagnosis

Elle Macpherson has revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago and is now in remission, having chosen to refuse chemotherapy. The Australian supermodel, who gained global recognition in the 1980s, describes her holistic approach to cancer treatment in her upcoming memoir, “Elle: Life, Lessons, and Learning to Trust Yourself.”

In an interview with the Australian Women’s Weekly, Macpherson discusses undergoing a lumpectomy seven years ago and receiving a diagnosis of HER2 positive oestrogen receptive intraductal carcinoma, a specific type of breast cancer. The medical advice she received recommended a mastectomy followed by radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and breast reconstruction.

However, Macpherson, who founded the beauty and wellness company WelleCo and was romantically involved with the controversial anti-vaxxer Andrew Wakefield at the time, decided to avoid conventional medical treatments. Instead, she rented a house in Phoenix, Arizona, and dedicated eight months to treating her cancer holistically. Her treatment team included a primary doctor, a naturopathic doctor, a holistic dentist, an osteopath, a chiropractor, and two therapists.

Macpherson described the initial shock of the diagnosis, saying, “It was a shock, it was unexpected, it was confusing, it was daunting in so many ways and it really gave me an opportunity to dig deep in my inner sense to find a solution that worked for me.” Rejecting traditional medical advice was a difficult decision for her. She said, “Saying no to standard medical solutions was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. But saying no to my own inner sense would have been even harder,” adding that she found chemotherapy and surgery too extreme.

Now in clinical remission, which she refers to as “utter wellness,” Macpherson mentioned that her sons Flynn, 26, and Cy, 21, along with her former partner Arpad “Arki” Busson, had mixed reactions to her unorthodox approach.

Standard cancer treatments usually involve surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Cancer Research UK (CRUK) states that no scientific or medical evidence supports the idea that alternative therapies can cure cancer. According to CRUK, some patients use complementary therapies alongside conventional treatments, while others opt for alternative therapies instead. Complementary methods can include practices such as aromatherapy, acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage therapy, visualization, and yoga. While some of these therapies may improve a patient’s well-being, CRUK warns that they can also cause side effects and may interfere with conventional treatments.

Macpherson’s former partner, Andrew Wakefield, became infamous for a study published in the Lancet in 1998, which falsely claimed a link between the MMR vaccine and autism. Although the paper was later retracted and his medical license revoked, Wakefield continues to promote his debunked theories.

Source: The Guardian