Actor Amanda Peet revealed she was diagnosed with hormone-receptor-positive and HER2-negative lobular breast cancer last fall, following an early warning sign in her closet six months prior, today.com reported. The 54-year-old star shared details of her medical journey during an appearance on the TODAY show, explaining how doctors ultimately caught the Stage 1 cancer during a routine scan.
Data from the National Cancer Institute indicates that 15% of newly diagnosed breast cancer cases are of the lobular type. Because these growths typically do not manifest as firm masses, identification proves challenging, particularly for individuals like Peet who possess dense breast tissue like Peet.
Peet notices unusual skin before initial MRI
Peet first noticed something was amiss six months before her formal diagnosis while dressing in her closet. “I was in my closet, I was probably putting something on and I felt a weird — it just didn’t feel like normal skin, but it wasn’t the frozen pea that everybody talks about,” Peet told Savannah Guthrie on the TODAY show, as reported by today.com and pagesix.com. She sought medical evaluation and underwent an MRI at that time. Doctors cleared her initially, though medical staff continued to monitor the area.
That initial symptom did not match the classic hard lump most patients look for. Skin changes, dents, swelling, and redness can indicate warning signs, and skin that appears pitted like an orange is among breast cancer symptom a doctor monitors in herself.
Diagnosis Before Labor Day
Six months after her closet discovery, on the Friday before Labor Day in 2025, Peet attended what she expected to be a routine scan, according to her essay in The New Yorker and today.com. Her physician noticed something concerning on her ultrasound and went silent—a sudden shift that alerted the actor that something was wrong. The doctor performed a biopsy and hand-delivered the sample to Cedars-Sinai that same Friday evening. Peet received her formal breast cancer diagnosis via a phone call shortly afterward.
Facing a diagnosis while her divorced parents were in hospice care on opposite coasts, Peet described the subsequent period as dealing with a “slow drip of information.” According to pagesix.com, the actress noted that gathering genomic, genetic, and treatment information takes time, calling it an anxious person’s “basic nightmare.”
Lumpectomy and radiation lead to cancer-free scan
Following her Stage 1 diagnosis, Peet underwent a lumpectomy followed by radiation therapy. An initial MRI also revealed a second tumor, which was subsequently determined to be benign. Peet received her first clear, cancer-free scan in mid-January, as noted by pagesix.com.
Because lobular breast cancer is hard to spot, Peet had been seeing a breast surgeon every six months for checkups due to her dense breast tissue. She acknowledged that her personal circumstances provided a strong safety net. "I think about how lucky I was in so many ways," Peet told today.com, citing great health insurance, a nanny, and strong support from family and friends. Her sister and brother-in-law, both doctors, also helped her avoid relying on unverified internet advice.
Frequently Asked Questions About Amanda Peet’s Diagnosis
What specific type of breast cancer did Amanda Peet have?
Peet was diagnosed with hormone-receptor-positive and HER2-negative lobular breast cancer, which accounts for 15% of all new breast cancer diagnoses according to the National Cancer Institute.
How was her cancer ultimately discovered?
While doctors had previously monitored an area first noticed by Peet in her closet six months earlier, the actual tumor was spotted on an ultrasound during a routine scan on the Friday before Labor Day in 2025.
What treatments did the actor undergo?
Peet was treated for Stage 1 cancer by undergoing a lumpectomy to remove the tumor, followed by radiation therapy. She received her first clear scan in mid-January.
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