Diagnosis of breast cancer leaves former tennis star 'devastated'

FORMER tennis star Martina Navratilova yesterday described the day she was diagnosed with breast cancer as her "personal 9/11".

The 53-year-old legend was diagnosed with a non-invasive form of the disease called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in February, but only made the information public yesterday.

Navratilova underwent a lumpectomy three weeks ago and expects to make a full recovery.

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"I found out February 24," she told ABC's Good Morning America. "It was my personal 9/11 and I was shocked because I was so sure that the calcifications were benign.

"I found out and I was devastated. Physically I couldn't think, I couldn't move. I was useless.

"That's where it helps to have a good support group."

She continued: "It's bad news, good news. I have breast cancer but the good news is it's DCIS, which is a non-invasive form of breast cancer.

"I have a very great chance of a great recovery and a very small chance of it coming back.

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"I will have radiation, but with that the chances of it coming back are 10 per cent or so."

Navratilova revealed that, having fallen out of the habit of having a yearly mammogram, she had been lucky the cancer was not more developed when it was found.

She said: "At first I thought, 'I'll keep this private, there's no reason to talk about it'.

"But the more I found out what it was and why I had it – the reason is ridiculous.

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"Here I am, I'm this healthy person, I've been healthy all my life and now I have cancer. Are you kidding me?

"I took four years before I had my last mammogram.

"And the reason I wanted to speak about this is to encourage women to have that yearly check-up."

Navratilova, who was born in Czechoslovakia, has 18 grand slam singles titles, a record 31 grand slam women's doubles titles and 10 grand slam mixed doubles titles to her name.

She still plays tennis and ice hockey regularly.