Big Bang Theory Star Kate Micucci's Cancer Diagnosis Fully Explained
"The Big Bang Theory" star Kate Micucci is getting candid about her health struggles. The actor — who played Raj's love interest Lucy in the mega-hit sitcom on CBS — announced she had been diagnosed with lung cancer in a TikTok clip she posted in December 2023. "Hey everybody, this is not a TikTok, it's a 'Sick Tok.' I'm in the hospital, but it's because I had lung cancer surgery yesterday," she revealed. "It's really weird because I've never smoked a cigarette in my life, so uh, you know, it was a surprise." The good news was that her doctors were able to remove the cancer from her lungs and that she's now on the path to recovery. "They got it out. I'm all good," said Micucci. Reflecting on her journey so far, Micucci said, "It's been a little bit of a trip. I'll probably be moving slow for a few weeks, but then I'll be back at it."
The comedian — who has also appeared in shows like "How I Met Your Mother" and "Malcolm in the Middle" — revealed that her diagnosis came after irregularities were found in a blood test. "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," she said. Following her announcement, fans and friends of Micucci expressed their support, including The American Cancer Society, who wrote, "You got this! We are here for you during your journey." Since then, Micucci has offered an update on her health.
Kate Micucci is officially cancer-free
Kate Micucci has some positive news to share with her fans following her lung cancer diagnosis. The actor announced in December 2023 that she was officially cancer-free a week after her emergency lung surgery. "I have great news, which is that I am cancer-free, and the surgery last week went great. All the reports came back that it worked — I don't need to do any other treatment," she said. "So big thank you to all my doctors and nurses and everyone that took just really great care of me." She added that she was extremely fortunate that her cancer was caught early and expressed her gratitude to all those who prayed for her speedy recovery. "I'm just really grateful that things worked out as they did. I'm feeling really good today, and I'm honestly just so excited and truly grateful," she said.
Micucci — who has a 3-year-old son with her husband, producer Jake Sinclair — said that she is looking forward to spending more time with her family now that she is finally cleared of cancer. She ended her post with a clip of her son running over to her to kiss her. After she shared the news on Instagram, several friends and colleagues expressed their happiness for Micucci, including Ed Helms, who wrote, "I'm so glad you're recovering, Kate. This world needs you to stick around as long as possible!!" Others were actors Seth Green, Joe McHale, and Yvette Nicole Brown.
What you need to know about lung cancer
According to the American Cancer Society, although lung cancer is most commonly associated with smoking, the disease can also affect individuals who have never smoked, such as in the case of "The Big Bang Theory" star Kate Micucci. In addition to smoking, exposure to secondhand smoke, air pollution, and workplace hazards like chemicals and asbestos can increase the risk of developing this type of cancer. Symptoms include chronic coughing, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, chest pain, fatigue, hoarseness, and weight loss.
Aside from Micucci, comedian Kathy Griffin was also diagnosed with lung cancer despite never having smoked in her life. She first revealed her condition in August 2021 and was declared cancer-free after undergoing surgery to remove half of her lung. "I had surgery, you're not going to believe this — I've never smoked, but I got lung cancer," Griffin said during an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" in December 2021. "In August, I had half of my left lung removed ... So now I'm like Minnie Mouse meets Marilyn Monroe." Andre Braugher — the actor best known for starring as Detective Frank Pembleton in NBC's "Homicide: Life on the Street" and as Captain Raymond Holt in the hit sitcom "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" — was also diagnosed with lung cancer months before his tragic death on December 11, 2023. He was 61 at the time of his death.