These famous figures have all battled cancer -

It's an incredibly common and often devastating illness that has touched most of us in one way or another. Even still, it's surprising to learn just how many famous faces have battled cancer. Thankfully, many of them have lived to tell the tale and inspire us with their perseverance in the face of such adversity.

Click through this gallery to learn more about stars who won their battles with cancer, the ones who have not won the fight yet, and the unlucky souls who ultimately lost theirs.

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Dave Coulier - Dave Coulier, 65, known for his role as Uncle Joey on the sitcom 'Full House,' announced his diagnosis of stage 3 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in November 2024. After undergoing three surgeries and a round of chemotherapy, he remains optimistic, saying, "If I can help someone who's watching today get an early screening—a breast exam, a colonoscopy, a prostate exam—go do it because, for me, early detection meant everything."

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James Van Der Beek -

James Van Der Beek, 47, also revealed in November that he is battling colorectal cancer. The actor, who rose to fame in the ‘90s on the TV series ‘Dawson's Creek,’ stated, "There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good."

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Chris Hoy - Six-time Olympic champion Chris Hoy, 48, announced in October that he only has two to four years to live, after being diagnosed with stage four terminal cancer. Hoy went to the hospital in September 2023 due to shoulder pain, where doctors discovered he had prostate cancer that had spread to his bones.

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Don Omar -

Puerto Rican singer Don Omar underwent surgery to treat cancer in between legs of his 'Back to Reggaeton' tour in 2024. He revealed his diagnosis in an Instagram post, and provided an update the following day to say he was cancer-free after a successful surgery. 

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King Charles -

On Monday, February 5, Buckingham Palace made the shocking announcement that King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer. “During the king’s recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer," read a statement from the Palace. “His majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties." 

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Kate Middleton -

Less than two months after the King, the Princess of Wales released a short video to share that she too had been diagnosed with cancer. “In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.” She went on to reassure viewers that she was feeling well and “getting stronger every day," despite the fact that it had been "an incredibly tough couple of months" for the whole family.

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Sarah Ferguson -

The Duchess of York was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023. Sadly, she was diagnosed with another form of cancer shortly after undergoing a successful mastectomy. In January 2024, she revealed that she was diagnosed with malignant skin cancer.

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Shannen Doherty (1971-2024) -

Actress Shannen Doherty was open about her battle with cancer for many years. The 'Charmed' star was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. Her cancer went into remission, but sadly she announced its return as stage four cancer in 2020. On June 15, 2023, Doherty shared a video of herself in the hospital about to undergo brain surgery, revealing that the cancer had metastasized to her brain. She continued to fight bravely until her passing in July 2024.

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Sam Neill -

'Jurassic Park' star Sam Neill revealed that he was being treated for stage three blood cancer. The actor told The Guardian that he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2022. Neill's chemotherapy originally failed, but now he's reportedly using a new chemotherapy drug which he'll have to receive monthly for the rest of his life.

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Martina Navratilova -

Martina Navratilova already battled her way out of breast cancer in 2010, but adversity struck again, and twice as hard. A spokesperson for the nine-time Wimbledon champion told People that Navratilova was diagnosed with both stage 1 throat and breast cancer, after seeking medical attention for an enlarged lymph node in her neck. But in June 2023 following treatment, she announced that she is in the clear again.

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Jane Fonda -

Jane Fonda announced on September 3, 2022, that she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and had started chemotherapy treatments. Fortunately, her cancer has since gone into remission. The Oscar-winning actress had previously discovered a small tumor in 2010, and though she needed surgery, her cancer was non-invasive so she didn't have to undergo chemotherapy or radiation that time.

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Blythe Danner -

'Meet the Parents' actress Blythe Danner revealed in November 2022 that she has been privately battling oral cancer for years and is now thankfully in remission. Danner, who is also mother to Gwyneth Paltrow, noted that it's the same disease that killed her husband Bruce Paltrow in 2002.

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Olivia Newton-John (1948-2022) -

Olivia Newton-John, the legend from 'Grease' and the famed 'Physical' singer, passed away at the age of 73, following a three-decade-long battle with breast cancer. She first discovered the disease in 1992, and since then she had dedicated a great part of her life to supporting research and treatment.

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Jared Kushner -

Jared Kushner, son-in-law of Donald Trump and former Senior Advisor to Trump during his presidency, revealed that he battled thyroid cancer while working in the White House. In his memoir 'Breaking History: A White House Memoir,' Kushner writes that he was diagnosed in 2019 and chose to keep his illness a secret.

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Tom Parker (1988-2022) -

British pop star Tom Parker of The Wanted sadly passed away at the premature age of 33. His wife, Kelsey Hardwick, confirmed that he died on March 30, 2022 due to a brain tumor. He was diagnosed with stage four glioblastoma, a severe form of brain cancer, in October 2020 after suffering from seizures.

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Louie Anderson (1953-2022) -

Louie Anderson died at the age of 68 after being hospitalized in Las Vegas for treatment amid a battle with cancer. The late comedian was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the world. The 'Baskets' star passed away on January 21, 2022.

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Ronnie Spector (1943-2022) -

Ronnie Spector, leader of the 1960's girl group The Ronettes, died at the age of 78 after a brief battle with cancer.

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Kathy Griffin -

Veteran comedian Kathy Griffin shared the news that she had been diagnosed with lung cancer back in August of 2021: "Yes, I have lung cancer even though I've never smoked!" The comedian said that her doctors were "very optimistic" since it was stage 1 cancer and contained to her left lung, though she underwent surgery to remove it. She later announced she was cancer-free.

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Virgil Abloh (1980-2021) -

Virgil Abloh, artistic director of Louis Vuitton menswear and founder of luxury fashion label Off-White, tragically passed away on November 28, 2021, after privately battling a rare form of cancer called cardiac angiosarcoma for over two years.

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James Michael Tyler (1962-2021) -

The actor who played the Central Perk coffee shop manager in 'Friends' passed away on October 24, 2021, following a battle with prostate cancer. He was just 59.

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Rachel Maddow -

MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow revealed that she had a cancerous mole removed from her neck. Maddow shared that the doctors "got all of it" and that she's "going to be totally fine."

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Mark Hoppus -

Blink-182's Mark Hoppus shared some wonderful news with his fans. After a six-month battle, the beloved bassist and singer revealed that he is cancer-free. Hoppus was diagnosed with stage 4 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

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Willie Garson (1964-2021) -

Fans were devastated at the unexpected news that actor Willie Garson had passed away on September 23, 2021, at the age of 57. His family later revealed that the 'SATC' star had been battling pancreatic cancer.

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Jeff Bridges -

Nearly a year after his lymphoma diagnosis, actor Jeff Bridges revealed that he was in remission.

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Stanley Tucci -

In an interview for the September 2021 issue of Virgin Atlantic's Vera magazine, the actor opened up for the first time about his experience with cancer three years prior after being diagnosed with a tumor at the base of his tongue. After radiation and chemo, he's now in remission.

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Hugh Jackman -

In 2013, the 'Wolverine' actor was diagnosed with a basal cell carcinoma on his nose. It turned out to be malignant, and Jackman now gets regular checks and reportedly never leaves the house without plenty of SPF.

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Ronnie Wood -

In early 2017, Wood was diagnosed with lung cancer. The heavy smoker told The Daily Mail that he did not believe chemotherapy would work, but did have surgery to remove part of his lung.

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Dustin Diamond (1977-2021) -

Dustin Diamond, who played the beloved nerd Samuel "Screech" Powers on the hit sitcom 'Saved by the Bell,' was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in 2021 and had already started chemotherapy, but on February 1 he passed away due to carcinoma.

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Alex Trebek (1940-2020) -

'Jeopardy' host Alex Trebek announced in March 2019 that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. After a successful round of chemotherapy, he unfortunately suffered a setback and had to restart the chemotherapy. He passed away on November 8, 2020. 

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Angelina Jolie -

After learning she had the BRCA-1 gene, Jolie decided to undergo a preventative double mastectomy in 2013. It's also been reported that the star found a benign ovarian tumor in 2015 and had surgery to remove it.

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Kylie Minogue -

The Australian singer was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005. Her treatment lasted three years and she was subject to a partial mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.

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Robert De Niro - The movie star found out he had prostate cancer when he was 60 years old, in 2003. It was reported that the disease was caught in the early stages, which allowed for a full recovery.

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Michael Douglas -

Douglas, who has a career that spans over 50 years, opened up about his cancer battle in 2010, which was later revealed to be tongue cancer.

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Ben Stiller -

In 2014, 'Zoolander' actor Ben Stiller found out he had prostate cancer. A few months after his diagnosis, the star underwent surgery to remove his tumor. Stiller has reportedly been cancer-free since!

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Sharon Osbourne - The media personality was 50 when she was diagnosed with colon cancer. She had surgery to remove her colon and underwent chemotherapy, only to learn she had the BRCA gene in 2012, which led her to have a mastectomy.

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Sheryl Crow -

The American singer was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006, and underwent surgical intervention and radiotherapy.

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Cynthia Nixon -

The 'Sex and the City' actress discovered she had the disease in 2006. It was a small tumor in her right breast. Treatment included surgery and radiotherapy.

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Dustin Hoffman - Dustin Hoffman was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2013, at the age of 75, and has been reportedly treated and cured since.

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Julia Louis-Dreyfus - The 'Veep' star revealed her diagnosis in 2017 on social media. She went through chemo and a double mastectomy, and was declared cancer-free in late 2018.

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Ruby Dee (1922-2014) - The actress, writer, and activist survived breast cancer, but died in 2014 of unrelated causes.

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Maggie Smith (1934-2024) -

Actress Maggie Smith was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 73. Though she once shared that the treatment felt worse than the disease itself, she made a full recovery at the time. Sadly, Smith passed away in 2024, but her strength and resilience throughout her battle with cancer left an enduring mark on her legacy.

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Larry King (1933-2021) - The late talk show host legend (and heavy smoker) Larry King revealed he was about to start his third round of chemotherapy in September 2017. He also confirmed he had undergone surgery after finding out he had stage 1 lung cancer. Sadly, he passed in January 2021, at 87, after being hospitalized with COVID-19.

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Morrissey -

The musician revealed he had been battling cancer in 2014. During an interview in 2015, Morrissey told Larry King that he had Barrett's esophagus, which is a gastroesophageal reflux disease that can turn into cancer.

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Kathy Bates -

The actress underwent a double mastectomy in 2012 after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

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Christina Applegate - The actress discovered that she had breast cancer in 2008 and underwent a double mastectomy.

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Edie Falco - The actress said that surviving breast cancer made her reevaluate her priorities in life.

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Rita Wilson -

In 2015, the actress told People magazine that she underwent a double mastectomy.

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Tig Notaro - "Hello, I have cancer," said the comedian in a performance that happened just days after her breast cancer diagnosis. The comedian underwent a double mastectomy.

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Peter Criss - Breast cancer affects all genders. Peter Criss of Kiss revealed that he was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, but ended up treating it before it could spread.

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Michael C. Hall - 'Dexter' star Michael C. Hall confirmed he had been battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2010, just before the Golden Globes award ceremony. Hall was reportedly already in the final part of treatment.

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Delta Goodrem -

The Australian songstress was only 18 years old when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in the form a lump in her throat. Radiation therapy and chemo made the star lose all her hair at the time.

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Brigitte Bardot - The French actress and model was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1983 and refused treatment. She believed that her destiny was to die, but a friend later convinced her to get treated.

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Shirley Temple (1928-2014) -

The late actress and activist was one of the first famous women to speak publicly about having breast cancer, this back in 1972. She died in 2014 from unrelated causes.

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Wanda Sykes - The comedian was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011, and had a double mastectomy to avoid chances of a recurrence.

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Anastacia - The singer was diagnosed with the disease twice and underwent a double mastectomy.

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Robin Roberts - The TV host says breast cancer was nothing more than a chapter in her life story, but it will never be her life story.

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Giuliana Rancic - The TV presenter discovered that she had breast cancer when she was undergoing fertility treatments in 2011. She ended up having a double mastectomy surgery.

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Hoda Kotb - Back in 2008, the 'Today' show news anchor was diagnosed with breast cancer. Hoda Kotb was very open about her journey with the disease, and how not having family history with the cancer doesn't mean you're safe.

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Melissa Etheridge - The singer confessed that she had never encountered anything as powerful as breast cancer.

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Gloria Steinem - The journalist and activist was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1986 and treated successfully.

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Kim Novak - The actress was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010.

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Kim Gordon - The Sonic Youth singer encountered breast cancer while getting divorced. She recounted the experience in her memoir 'Girl in a Band.'

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Jaclyn Smith - The actress was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002 and underwent a lumpectomy.

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Kate Jackson - Smith's 'Charlie's Angels' costar battled breast cancer in 1987 and 1989.

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Nancy Reagan (1921-2016) - The Former First Lady of the United States was diagnosed with breast cancer and treated in 1987. She died in 2016 of congestive heart failure. 

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Marianne Faithfull - The singer and actress said that she gained a new life after recovering from breast cancer.

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Rod Stewart -

In September 2019, the legendary musician revealed he had a two-year battle with prostate cancer, starting when he was diagnosed in 2016. He's since been given the all-clear by doctors.

See also: Lupus: understand the mysterious disease which affects several celebrities

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