Actress Miranda McKeon, 24, Says the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Is Always On Her Mind and the Source of Her Anxiety – Tips to Help Reduce Recurrence Risk

While the thought of returning to the intensity of treatment still weighs heavily on her, McKeon emphasized that she’s committed to staying hopeful and grounded as she moves forward.

Managing Recurrence Risk

“Once a patient has finished his or her active therapy for breast cancer, we will often refer to that time as breast cancer survivorship,” says Dr. Erica Mayer, a breast cancer medical oncologist at Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

“This is a time when patients are still being actively monitored by their treatment team, not only to ensure that they remain healthy and cancer-free in the years ahead, but also to make sure that they have recovered from any side effects of their initial treatment, and that they are pursuing healthy behaviors for example, getting regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, and keeping up with all their other routine medical care.”

To reduce the chances of recurrence, patients are urged to:

Follow Your Treatment Guidelines.

“The best way to reduce your risk of recurrence with breast cancer is to follow treatment guidelines and complete the course of treatment that’s given,” says Dr. Elisa Port, a surgical oncologist specializing in breast cancer at Mount Sinai, to SurvivorNet.

“So the challenge is to work with every individual person to make sure we give her the best chance of getting through these treatments and enjoying the benefits of these treatments, which is the lowest rate of cancer coming back,” Port says.

Limit Alcohol.

Port says the other lifestyle factor that may increase one’s risk of breast cancer recurrence is heavy alcohol intake.

Eat a Healthy Diet and Exercise.

Dr. Elizabeth Comen, a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and medical advisor to SurvivorNet, notes that while exercise is well known for supporting weight loss, research shows it may also play a meaningful role in lowering breast cancer risk.

She explains that excess weight can create chronic inflammation in the body, and fat cells can produce estrogen — a hormone that, when present at high levels over a woman’s lifetime, can raise the likelihood of developing breast cancer.

Importantly, she emphasizes that physical activity doesn’t have to be extreme or strenuous to be beneficial. A light walk can also suffice.

“Exercise doesn’t have to mean suddenly training for a triathlon or doing something completely new,” Dr. Comen says.

For many patients, she adds, a cancer diagnosis can become a catalyst to prioritize their health and build sustainable habits that support their well‑being.

Maintain a Healthy Weight.

Dr. Sairah Ahmed, an associate professor in cancer medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, tells SurvivorNet that staying as physically strong as possible can make a meaningful difference for people preparing to start treatment.

“The more physically fit you are going through your cancer treatment, the fewer side effects you’ll have and the faster you’ll get back to your normal quality of life,” she explains.

She also stresses that well‑being isn’t just about the body. Emotional resilience plays a major role for both patients and the people supporting them.

“Stress control is often something that isn’t talked about enough, but there is a lot of stress — for the patient going through cancer and for the family who has to support them,” she says.

Miranda’s Cancer Journey Started at a Young Age

McKeon was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer at 19.

Stage three breast cancer typically refers to a relatively large tumor that may have invaded nearby skin or muscle tissue. It may also mean that lymph nodes near your breast and/or under your armpit are involved. In most cases, stage three breast cancers will need chemotherapy. If the cancer is also hormone receptor-positive, aggressive hormonal therapy may be offered as well.

WATCH: Understanding Stage 3 Breast Cancer

She said a small lump “the size of a jellybean” in her breast initially caught her attention.

“I stepped away into the bathroom. I peed, fixed my hair, and performed the classic boob scoop, a typical mid-party practice,” she wrote in an Instagram post. “I brushed across a lump that was definitely not there before. It was the size of a jellybean but powerful enough to sink my stomach and set off emergency sirens in my head.”

After going to see her doctor about it, she underwent a mammogram, which screens for breast cancer. She also underwent a biopsy and an ultrasound. The tests confirmed her diagnosis of stage 3 hormone-positive breast cancer in June 2021. Interestingly, the young actress said she did not have a family history of the disease.

“I spent most of that time confused and scared, but mostly in shock,” she told Coping magazine. Most of us go through life believing that we are untouchable. It’s a crazy feeling when the spinner lands on you.”

After chemotherapy, she underwent a double mastectomy and reconstruction, followed by 25 rounds of radiation.

“I never would have anticipated that going through cancer treatment would feel like working five full-time jobs at once!” she said.

WATCH: When to consider a mastectomy?

A mastectomy is the removal of the entire breast during surgery. There are several factors to weigh when considering a mastectomy, such as whether breast-conserving surgery (or lumpectomy) is possible. Your doctor will evaluate the size and features of your tumor and your family history to make a recommendation.

In some cases, a double mastectomy is a viable treatment option. During this procedure, both breasts are removed to get rid of cancer. A double mastectomy may also be performed as a preventative measure for women who are at a very high risk of developing breast cancer.

Miranda’s Treatment Spawned Early Menopause

McKeon’s breast cancer is hormone-receptive, meaning it needs the hormones estrogen and/or progesterone to grow and thrive. To combat this, doctors may want to lower a patient’s estrogen levels to help slow the growth of the cancer or prevent it from returning.

The treatment McKeon is taking, Lupron (generic name leuprolide), is a hormone therapy shot that aims to reduce her estrogen levels so her cancer does not grow.

“This shot is what keeps me in medically induced menopause. What it does is quiet the ovaries…Lupron keeps them quiet like a little baby and lets the chemotherapy pass over without doing a ton of damage,” McKeon explained.

WATCH: Understanding hormone therapy for breast cancer.

Lupron (generic name leuprorelin) is a type of hormone therapy for breast cancer. It acts as an ovarian suppression drug that stops the ovaries from making the hormone estrogen.

Lupron is usually given by injection into a muscle once a month or every three to six months. The length of treatment varies, and your doctor can determine that information.

Some known side effects of Lupron may include tiredness or fatigue, hot flashes, spotting, and muscle or joint pain.

Hormone therapy is used for hormone receptor-positive cancers. When a tumor is “hormone receptor-positive,” it means tests reveal the cancer is positive for either the estrogen and/or progesterone receptor. Cancers of this type need estrogen and/or progesterone to grow.

Her treatment helped her reach remission, though she continues treatment to offset recurrence.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

If you are in the middle of a cancer journey and are looking to improve your emotional health, consider what you’re grateful for. To begin, ask yourself the following questions to kickstart your journey to achieve gratitude.

• What can I do if I’m struggling to be thankful for what I have in my life?
• Are there local resources for people wishing to improve their mental health?
• What else can I do to help reduce my stress level during my cancer journey?

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