Chris Evert thanks Martina Navratilova for support after cancer recurrence
Tennis greats Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert are supporting each other through their cancer journeys.
On Sunday, Evert shared a photo of herself alongside her fellow tennis champion and cancer survivor Navratilova on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
"We're in this together! 💪🏼👊🙏 Thanks for the delicious food @Martina ❤️," Evert wrote in the accompanying photo caption.
Former world No. 1 player Evert announced Friday that she has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer for a second time, a year and a half after finishing her last round of chemotherapy.
The 18-time Grand Slam champion, now an ESPN analyst, released a statement through ESPN saying the latest diagnosis was one she "never wanted to hear."
"Since I was first diagnosed with cancer two years ago, I've been very open about my experience. I wanted to give all of you an update. My cancer is back," Evert began in her statement. "While this is a diagnosis I never wanted to hear, I once again feel fortunate that it was caught early."
Evert, 68, said she recently underwent surgery related to her cancer and has begun treatment for it.
"Based on a PET CT scan, I underwent another robotic surgery this past week. Doctors found cancer cells in the same pelvic region. All cells were removed, and I have begun another round of chemotherapy," she continued.
Navratilova has dealt with cancer multiple times, most recently being diagnosed in January with both breast cancer and throat cancer. She said she was cancer-free this summer after undergoing months of treatment.
What are the odds of an ovarian cancer recurrence?
Evert is not alone in her cancer experience. Nearly 25% of ovarian cancer patients with early stage disease and 80% with more advanced stages experience a recurrence, according to one study published in the journal Gland Surgery.
As of 2020, the National Cancer Institute reported more than 230,000 women were estimated to be living with ovarian cancer in the U.S.
Dr. Ginger Gardner, a gynecologic oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, specializes in multiple cancers, including ovarian cancer. Gardner, who sees patients in New York, said doctors like her look for a range of symptoms.
"For initial diagnosis, we look at a triad of symptoms, that being increasing abdominal pressure, distension, changing bowel and bladder function that's new or progressive in nature, over a period of weeks to months," Gardner said. "We frequently see recurrence within the first two years of completing the initial therapy."
Evert first announced in January 2022 that she had been diagnosed with stage 1 ovarian cancer.
Evert's initial cancer diagnosis came after her younger sister Jeanne Evert, also a former professional tennis player, died in 2020 of ovarian cancer at the age of 62.
"I just feel so fortunate that if it wasn't for the call that I received from my sister's geneticist saying that [my sister] Jeanne's BRCA [gene] had, they had found a new mutation," Evert said on ESPN at the time.
Following her cancer announcement, Evert documented her journey with the disease on HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel," where she said she believed her sister's death "saved" her life.
Evert also revealed that she underwent a preventative double mastectomy in December 2022 after completing ovarian cancer treatment and is encouraging others to learn about their own family histories.
"I encourage everyone to know your family history and advocate for yourself. Early detection saves lives," Evert said. "Be thankful for your health this holiday season."
In her Friday statement, Evert said she would not be joining ESPN to cover the upcoming Australian Open next month in order to focus on her cancer treatment.
The ESPN analyst, however, was optimistic about making a broadcasting return in the near future.
"But I'll be ready for the rest of the Grand Slam season!" she said.
