“Big Bang Theory” star Kate Micucci underwent a recent surgery for lung cancer.
Micucci, who played Lucy on the CBS sitcom, shared the news of her diagnosis and treatment on social media over the weekend.
“Hey everybody, this is not a TikTok, it’s a ‘Sick Tok,’” she said. “I’m in the hospital but it’s because I had lung cancer surgery yesterday. They caught it really early.”
She said her diagnosis was unexpected.
“It’s really weird, because I’ve never smoked a cigarette in my life. So, you know, it was a surprise. But also I guess, it happens and the greatest news is they caught it early, they got it out, I’m all good.”
Research shows lung cancer diagnoses have risen among women in recent years, even though many of those women never smoked, according to research. Exposure to second-hand smoke, pollution, family history and other factors can contribute to lung cancer diagnosis, the American Cancer Society states.
Micucci explained that something unusual showed up in her bloodwork, which led to further testing and eventually her cancer diagnosis.
“I had one thing in my bloodwork that came back really high,” she said. “So I went to a preventative doc who did a few scans. He scanned my heart and that’s where the spot in my lung was noticed.”
Micucci, who is also an artist, said she plans to return to work as soon as she can.
“It’s been a little bit of a trip and [I’ll] probably be moving slow for a few weeks but then I’ll be back at it,” she said.