Andrea Mitchell Cancer: NBC Journalist Announces She Has Breast Cancer (VIDEO)

NBC's Andrea Mitchell announced on air Wednesday that she has breast cancer.

Mitchell, who has been with NBC for decades and serves as its chief foreign affairs correspondent and host of "Andrea Mitchell Reports" on MSNBC, made the announcement at the end of her show. She is 64 years old.

"I had planned to be hiking in Wyoming last week but instead discovered that I am now among the one in eight women — incredibly, one in eight — who’ve had breast cancer," she said. "Mine was discovered during my annual screening just a short time ago. Lucky for me, I’m one of the fortunate ones. We discovered it in the earliest stage, it has not spread, and I’m already back at work with a terrific prognosis."

Mitchell said that breast cancer awareness and prevention has always been important to her.

"I’m looking at this as another of life’s lessons," she said. "For you women out there and for the men who love you, screening matters. Do it."

Other NBC journalists tweeted messages of support to Mitchell. "Bravo Andrea," the "Today" show's Savannah Guthrie wrote. "You are most adored."

WATCH:

Comments

[Blackorpheus]

02:11 PM on 10/13/2011

Nothing suggests the increasing elimination of "real" time as the ever-increasing inclination to announce one's grave illness to "the world" on TV.

[amwa]

01:53 PM on 09/11/2011

So glad it was caught in time Andrea. Hopefully the day when ALL Americans have Health Care and can have mammograms is near.

[Dr Confuso]

07:30 PM on 09/09/2011

Why would that be a ;brave' announcement? Because she's a celeb?

[frank55551111]

03:38 AM on 09/10/2011

too bad it aint rush lardball

[Doolollie]

01:32 PM on 09/10/2011

How can you wish that on ANYONE? You should instead be sorry for Andrea and hope for a good prognosis. You have no compassion at all.

[mystshy]

02:05 PM on 09/09/2011

BLESS HER........................

[MyP2PU]

01:51 PM on 09/09/2011

Andrea is such a beautiful woman. You're in our prayers Andrea!

[gumbo1049]

10:07 AM on 09/09/2011

God bless Andrea

[relentless63]

09:46 AM on 09/09/2011

All good and healing thoughts for you and your family.

[GranE]

06:55 AM on 09/09/2011

Our best hope and wishes for success, Andrea. A darned good journalist with great experience and knowledge of the issues worldwide. We need more of her kind, stay well!

[LMDAustin]

04:28 AM on 09/09/2011

I'm so sorry to hear this, and I wish her well. My prayers to her for a speedy recovery.

I read that there is a breast cancer gene. Since I also had my mtDNA analyzed (just for my Family Tree info/fun) at one time, I was told I was Haplogroup K1c2. One of the first things I read was that many people with the same genetic structure are Jewish and test positive for a breast cancer gene.

Clinically there's something about a BRAC-something test a woman can take to determine if you've got the genes for breast cancer. Anybody here know the specifics about it?

I'm sure a Nurse will know...any medical people here know the name of that test?

[Andrea Doria]

12:35 AM on 09/09/2011

Get well soon Andrea.

[TobusRex]

12:26 AM on 09/09/2011

Good luck Andrea!

[tiredofpc]

10:10 PM on 09/08/2011

Good for you Ms Mitchell! Intelligent, articulate women who are publicly forthright about their cancer undoubtedly save lives. Thank you!

[Jeremy Lock]

07:32 PM on 09/08/2011

Please take a moment and watch MSgt Keri Whitehead conquer her next battle, Radiation. Keri’s war takes you on a step-by-step journey of Keri’s life with breast cancer through a photo documentation and spoken diary.
www.keriswar.org

[danglines]

07:07 PM on 09/08/2011

Really brave and a good person.

[Mary Brooks Russell]

05:13 PM on 09/08/2011

STAY STRONG ANDREA MITCHELL...YOU ARE IN MY PRAYER'S