Health

Utah TV Anchor’s On-Air Mammogram Leads to Cancer Diagnosis

KUTV Utah Anchor Mary Nickles Who Had Mammogram on Camera Finds Out She Has Cancer

Mary Nickles of KUTV announced Thursday she has breast cancer after undergoing a mammogram on camera in October.(Image source: KUTV)

A Utah television news anchor who underwent a mammogram on camera announced Thursday she found out she has breast cancer as a result of the screening.

Mary Nickles, a reporter and weekend anchor for Salt Lake City CBS affiliate KUTV, had a mammogram in October as part of a news story encouraging women to get themselves screened for breast cancer. Shortly after, she was told doctors found a small tumor on her left breast. She revealed the news Thursday on Facebook.

KUTV Utah Anchor Mary Nickles Who Had Mammogram on Camera Finds Out She Has Cancer

KUTV

“We shot the whole story and they took a second look at one little area,” Nickles told KUTV.  “I’ve had dense tissue looked at a second time before and I thought, ‘Okay, no big deal.’ Well then they said, ‘You have to come back in for an ultrasound.’”

But Nickles said she said she was busy and put off going back, thinking it was just another dense spot.

“Well, then I get a phone call saying, ‘Hey, we really need you to come back in,’” she said. “The biopsy results came in the next day and he told me that it was malignant — that it is cancer.”

Doctors said the tumor was caught at a very early stage, and wouldn’t have shown on a mammogram even a year before. She underwent a successful lumpectomy and will soon undergo chemotherapy and radiation. She’s started a blog to keep viewers informed of her condition and the station is running a story on her diagnosis.

“I’m not as scared about cancer itself. Cancer sucks — but it’s not a death sentence,” she said. “And you have to see it that way.”

Watch Nickles’s original report below:

Comments (41)

  • BassChick
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 2:41pm

    I was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer at age 45. I went in for a routine mammogram and they found it. If I had waited until 50, I’d be dead now.

    Report Post » BassChick  
  • nilo
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 2:33pm

    Folks, we all have another friend to pray for. Lets do just that. God bless you ma’m.

    Report Post » nilo  
  • dontbotherme
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 12:03pm

    I found a lump 6 months ago (rt brst). After 2 mammograms & an ultrasound the Oncologist found 5. I am doing quite well all things being considered. Self exams & screenings are life savers. Never ignore your body & never listen to the government.

    Report Post »  
  • Diane TX
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 4:44am

    True story: My eldest sister was told that she had lung cancer in one lung. They operated and took too much tissue (by mistake). After the operation, she was told that she DIDN’T have lung cancer, but a fungus infection. They were so very sorry about the mistake. This occurred less than a year ago. My sister now suffers from reduced breathing capacity.

    My mom, who was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes when she was twenty, was diagnosed with cervical cancer at age fifty. During the operation, the tube that runs from her kidney to her bladder was accidentally nicked by the surgeon. That caused one of her kidneys to fail, and had to be removed.

    My family has had numerous misdiagnoses and mishaps at the hands of surgeons. I recently had to have a repair of an eye surgery that I had had seven years ago, because of the scar tissue that was caused by the first surgery. I also had hospital induced pneumonia as a toddler, where I ended up in an iron lung. Hospitals are very dangerous places.

    Report Post »  
    • Stuck_in_CA
      Posted on January 6, 2012 at 8:18am

      Yikes! So much for the term “health care.”
      So sorry for your troubles. Tough to watch, and to go through all that.

      Report Post » Stuck_in_CA  
    • ams9999
      Posted on January 6, 2012 at 10:22am

      That’s awful, but how does that relate to the story?

      Report Post » ams9999  
  • PJL
    Posted on January 5, 2012 at 11:30pm

    I lost my medical coverage 5 years but there are organisations out there to help you cover the cost of a low cost mammogram, you give what you can and they cover the rest, they do this every year in my small community for 30-40 women. I go every 2 years as there is a history in my family. If you ask at your clinic or hospital they can steer you in the right direction. A real blessing

    Report Post » PJL  
  • TRUSTNO MAN
    Posted on January 5, 2012 at 10:40pm

    ….and THIS is true. Upon discovery of a cyst-like growth in my wifes breast, my wife ask’s…”Doctor! What causes these things?” Utah Doctor say’s…..”Mother Nature!” (Speechless silence ensued for a really long time) Scanner operator does some movements, slips and says “OOOPS!” I respond….”OOOPS is not a term that should be used in a seriously medical diagnostic environment!” (Speechless silence with a glaring stare in my direction ensues) Bedside manner and Brains has gone down the pipes in Utah. It is scary at best. Get another opinion….at UMASS Medical Center. The Royal Family of Saudi Arabia does as well as most of the smart world but then again…find out if the doctors and nurses pray and to whom or what.

    Report Post » TRUSTNO MAN  
  • worriedmom
    Posted on January 5, 2012 at 7:35pm

    Bye the way, no one is telling you what to do. I could be totally wrong, I pray that each and everyone with cancer get well and survive. I don’t want to offend, just don‘t believe all this testing isn’t harmful.
    To each his own.

    Report Post »  
  • worriedmom
    Posted on January 5, 2012 at 7:27pm

    Smashing and radiating your breast every year or so could contribute. I don’t trust the AMA any farther than I can throw them. I read somewhere that many breast lumps occur and go away on their own. We find them, open the body to cut them out; possibly spreading cancer cells, and then radiate and poison people. I am questioning with boldness sheeple.

    Report Post »  
  • freemama
    Posted on January 5, 2012 at 6:46pm

    My annual gyn exam caught stage one uterine cancer. Only surgery needed. Don’t miss those annual checkups!

    Report Post »  
    • MidwestMomof3
      Posted on January 6, 2012 at 12:01pm

      I‘m curious how that happened as there’s no “test” for uterine cancer. Cervical cancer maybe? If, in fact, it was uterine cancer, how/why did your dr even look for it? I’ve just never heard of anyone finding uterine cancer at early stages!

      Report Post » MidwestMomof3  
  • Warphead
    Posted on January 5, 2012 at 5:47pm

    I’m so glad they caught it early for this lady. But I have to say that something is really screwed with our health care system. I went to the doctor to have the pain diagnosed and treated for an old injury I sustained 20 years ago. The first visit the doctor examined my foot and refered me to a specialist. 2nd visit an X-Ray was taken. The 3rd visit the doctor looked at the x-ray and seemed amazed that I could even walk. Suggested that I have surgery to fuse the joint. Total consultation time no more than 20 minutes for all three visits combined. One X-ray of the left foot, 4 different views. My insurance paid half of the total charges. Sounds great don’t it? I got a combined bill (what I owe) for over a thousand dollars. Seriously, something is screwed up. I don‘t know exactly how to fix it but I can tell you that the government getting involved and socializing health care isn’t the answer. Somehwere there is a disconnect between the doctors, the insurance companies and the general public. I remember getting sick as a young boy. The doctor would see me, diagnose the problem including taking cultures etc, write a prescription and that was it. Mom would write him a check for either $25.00 or $35.00 depending on whether I needed a shot or not and that was it. No insurance company for the doctor to hit up for more money and back then he didn‘t ask for more because he knew he wasn’t the only doctor in town.

    Report Post » Warphead  
  • mammacub
    Posted on January 5, 2012 at 5:29pm

    I have great sympathy. Yesterday I had my call back mammogram and sonogram. Prayers work I was o.k. But every woman needs to have their tests yearly. Thank you for your brave posting it will help many other women. And a blessing on those tecks and radiologist who read these. A mammogram is only as good as those tasked with reading them. Bless you.

    Report Post »  
  • civilman43
    Posted on January 5, 2012 at 4:52pm

    The new Obamacare law wants to do away with breast cancer screenings for anyone under fifty. What a great law. Both my sisters would bee dead now with that kind of preventative care.

    Report Post »  
  • shakedowncrews
    Posted on January 5, 2012 at 4:46pm

    Piss poor writing.
    “A Utah television news anchor who underwent a mammogram on camera announced Thursday she found out she has breast cancer as a result of the screening.”
    Really? She got cancer from the screening? Because that is what this phrase implies: “she has breast cancer as a result of the screening”
    How about rewording that?
    “A Utah television news anchor who underwent a mammogram on camera announced Thursday that the test revealed she had a previously undetected cancer.” Something like that.
    I don’t usually nitpick, but for crying out loud, you people study communications and journalism and editing and then write sentences that are so poorly written it sounds like a woman got cancer from the breast exam!

    Report Post » shakedowncrews  
    • UrbanCombatSurvivor
      Posted on January 5, 2012 at 5:52pm

      I would suggest you have piss poor reading comprehension. The headline was perfectly clear to me when I clicked on it, as, I suspect, it was to everyone else who isn’t a pedantic nitpicker looking to debase.

      I don’t particularly like the woman who did this article, but attacking on grammar seems…childish.

      Report Post »  
    • LICENSEDTOCARRY
      Posted on January 6, 2012 at 11:35am

      The wording IMPLIES that the screening caused cancer. Lose the attitude UCS.

      Report Post »  
  • samheaken
    Posted on January 5, 2012 at 4:31pm

    Not just breast cancer – you need to listed to your body. January 19, 2009 I had been visiting my primary care doctor for almost 6 months for what we believed to be IBS. On more than one occasion I brought up Ovarian Cancer and the CA125 marker test. The doctor pooh poohed it saying it wasn’t worth doing unless you were already diagnosed. Needless to say, I was finally diagnosed with Stage 4 Ovarian Cancer – 9 months of chemo and major surgery for a complete hysterectomy, removal of my spleen, gall bladder, part of my liver and diaphragm – I am currently cancer-free. I praise God for that but remind all women out there that you need to listen to your body and argue, argue, argue or find a new doctor when they don’t listen to you.

    Report Post »  
    • UrbanCombatSurvivor
      Posted on January 5, 2012 at 5:57pm

      While your story is terrible(with a great ending), I think your focus is on the wrong place here. Government intrusion into insurance companies have caused them to completely abandon the concepts of customer service and good business due to necessity.

      So long as the government forces companies to abide by arbitrary special interest rules, they aren’t free to COMPETE with one another. The result is that ALL insurance companies screw you in exactly the same way. Part of that, is their refusal to pay for any expensive tests or screening.

      Blame Mother Government, because insurance companies competing in a free market would certainly offer better coverage for lower prices. You would choose the company whose policy offered what you want, and find important, rather than having to choose between a bunch of companies all forced into the same box, and just labelled differently…

      Report Post »  
  • isur5ed
    Posted on January 5, 2012 at 4:12pm

    You pronounce my handle, “I survived.” I am now 31. I was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 24. No family history. No smoking. No alcohol. Breast fed both my babies. I had chemo, radiation and Herceptin. LISTEN UP WORLD! (yes, I am using the “screaming” caps for this) You can survive and live a wonderful life after cancer. Catching it early is worth it. I can’t say it in strong enough words. I wrote a song for my husband’s aunt just before she died of cancer.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK67oTw53X4&feature=g-upl&context=G2df0a76AUAAAAAAAOAA

    Please get your screening done. And if you are young and feel a lump in your breast that has changed or wasn’t there before – get it checked. BSE. The whole point of breast self exams is to know what is normal – so you know when something changed.
    YOUNG LADIES – remember me. Please.

    Report Post » isur5ed  
    • Stoic one
      Posted on January 5, 2012 at 4:22pm

      quite a beautiful song..

      Report Post » Stoic one  
    • pavepaws
      Posted on January 5, 2012 at 5:45pm

      Wow. Screen’s a little blurry.Thanks.

      Report Post »  
    • isur5ed
      Posted on January 6, 2012 at 9:36am

      Thanks for your support. Though I am a simple mother/songwriter I hope someday to share more of my heart in the future. If you want to check out another song you can listen to “The Fallen” about a fallen soldier. Inspired by my husband’s job which includes Casualty Notification to families of fallen soldiers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ega4ovtjT2A

      Report Post » isur5ed  
  • OniKaze
    Posted on January 5, 2012 at 4:11pm

    I am glad this woman found this out… Cancer affects MANY people, and everyone who can get exams to look for cancer SHOULD.

    I hope everything works out for her.

    Report Post » OniKaze  
  • poverty.sucks
    Posted on January 5, 2012 at 4:06pm

    All for ratings, albeit she had previous positive test results

    Report Post » poverty.sucks  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on January 5, 2012 at 4:05pm

    .
    She better be glad she caught this, before Obama Care kicks in………

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
  • gmoneytx
    Posted on January 5, 2012 at 4:02pm

    That’s an ironic twist?!?

    Report Post » gmoneytx  
  • Lesterp
    Posted on January 5, 2012 at 3:55pm

    Can’t get a better endorsement for screening than that!

    Report Post » Lesterp  
  • grannyjojo
    Posted on January 5, 2012 at 3:49pm

    I see the mighty hand of the Lord in this story, unless you just want to call it coincidence…..which I don’t. God bless all. “Every knee will bow and every tongue confess”

    Report Post »  
  • Al J Zira
    Posted on January 5, 2012 at 3:45pm

    Didn’t our glorious leaders in Washington tell us not too long ago that mamograms and prosate screenings are overrated and not necessary? Tell that to this woman or the thousands of other that have been diagnosed with cancer in time to turn the tide.

    Report Post » Al J Zira  
    • mccracken
      Posted on January 5, 2012 at 4:14pm

      No they didn’t say that.

      Report Post »  
    • Stoic one
      Posted on January 5, 2012 at 4:26pm

      UM for mammogram’s basically they did…. HHS said they were of little benefit before age 50, I watched that on the alphabet national evening news.

      Report Post » Stoic one  
  • DeepintheHeart
    Posted on January 5, 2012 at 3:39pm

    I’d say sounds like screening can save your life.

    Report Post »  
  • lukerw
    Posted on January 5, 2012 at 3:34pm

    Sounds like: Screening causes Cancer!

    Report Post » lukerw  
    • BlazingPatriot
      Posted on January 5, 2012 at 4:09pm

      @LUKERW: What a foolish and insensitive comment.

      Report Post » BlazingPatriot  
    • gold469
      Posted on January 5, 2012 at 4:26pm

      I have to agree with “BlazingPatriot”, a comment like that is truly insensitive. I mean really, would you say that to a wife or loved one who just told you they found out they had cancer? Think before you speak.

      Report Post » gold469  

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