NewsPublic figure
Chris Evert's Ovarian Cancer: How Her Sister's Diagnosis Led to Her Own
Tennis legend Chris Evert learned she carried the same BRCA1 gene variant as her late sister — a discovery that led to her own ovarian cancer diagnosis. Here's the medicine behind her story.
A plain-language summary based on public reporting and trusted sources, linked below.
Please note: this page is educational only — it is not medical advice, and it does not speculate about anyone’s health beyond reliable public reporting. For questions about your own health, talk with your healthcare team.
Tennis Hall of Famer Chris Evert has spoken openly about a health story that began with grief. By her own account, it ended up saving her life. Her younger sister, Jeanne Evert Dubin, was also a professional tennis player. Jeanne died of ovarian cancer in February 2020 at age 62. Later, Chris learned she carried the same inherited gene variant that had put Jeanne at risk. That discovery led to her own diagnosis and treatment. She has also spoken publicly about a later recurrence, including in essays and interviews for ESPN, where she works as a broadcaster.
What Chris Evert has shared
When Jeanne was diagnosed, genetic testing found a variant in the BRCA1 gene. At the time, doctors called it a "variant of uncertain significance." That means they did not yet know if it raised cancer risk. Years after Jeanne's death, the variant was reclassified as pathogenic. That means it is now known to raise cancer risk. It can also be passed down through families.
The reclassification led Chris to get tested. She carried the same BRCA1 variant. She had a preventive hysterectomy. During the surgery, doctors found a tumor on her fallopian tube. It was stage 1C ovarian cancer. That is an early stage. But cancer was already on the ovary or fallopian tube, or in pelvic fluid. She had surgery and six rounds of chemo. She finished in 2022 with no evidence of disease. As she said, "my sister's journey saved my life." Jeanne's gene test was found after her death. It led Chris to get checked before her own cancer grew.
Evert has kept speaking about her health since then. She has described a later recurrence of ovarian cancer and more treatment. Her story carries one main message. Family history and genetic testing can catch cancer earlier. Sometimes they catch it before symptoms even appear.
The real medicine behind her story
Ovarian cancer is often called a "silent" disease. Early symptoms are vague. They include bloating, pelvic or belly pain, feeling full quickly, or needing to urinate more often. These are easy to mistake for common, less serious problems. There is no reliable screening test for people at average risk. That is part of why the disease is often found late, after it has spread beyond the ovaries.
Inherited changes in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are among the best-understood risk factors for ovarian cancer. These genes normally help repair damaged DNA. When you inherit a harmful variant, your body cannot repair certain DNA damage as well. This raises your lifetime risk of ovarian, breast, and some other cancers. A harmful BRCA1 or BRCA2 variant can be passed down from either parent. A close relative with ovarian, breast, or certain other cancers can be a signal. It may mean genetic testing and counseling are worth considering. A close relative means a parent, sibling, or child. Genetic counselors can help you weigh the benefits and limits of testing. They can explain what a result would mean for you and your family.
Some people are found to carry a harmful BRCA variant. Their options can include more frequent monitoring or medications that lower risk. Another option is preventive surgery to remove the ovaries and fallopian tubes, and sometimes the uterus. Evert's cancer was found during this kind of surgery.
What to keep in perspective
Most ovarian cancer is not linked to an inherited BRCA variant. Most people with a family history of cancer will never get ovarian cancer. A public figure's story is one experience. Even a story as striking as two sisters sharing the same gene is not a diagnosis guide. It cannot predict what will happen to anyone else. Genetic test results can also be complex. Evert's own family learned this. A variant first labeled uncertain was only later called harmful. That is why a genetics professional usually needs to read these results over time. They are not a simple yes-or-no answer. Are you worried about your own family history or possible symptoms? Talk with a doctor or a certified genetic counselor. They can help you decide what testing, if any, makes sense for you.
How this article was prepared
An AI-assisted editorial system helped prepare this page. No named medical reviewer has reviewed it unless one is listed. This page draws on public reporting and the National Cancer Institute's patient information on ovarian cancer. If you notice an error, Tell us.
Sources
Know someone who needs this?
Plenty of people are looking for something like this and do not know where to start. If this would help a friend or someone you love, send it on — we have written an opening line so you do not have to stare at an empty message. You can change every word of it.
Your message is written and sent in your own email or messaging app — we never see who you send it to, and nothing is added to any list.
Put the story in context
Prevention, possible warning signs, screening, and diagnosis
This story relates to Ovarian cancer. The information below is general: it does not reveal anything else about a public person’s health, and not every point applies to every cancer. Personal advice depends on age, symptoms, family history, exposures, and medical history.
Prevention and risk reduction
Not every cancer can be prevented. Avoiding tobacco, protecting skin from ultraviolet radiation, limiting alcohol, staying active, and receiving recommended HPV or hepatitis B vaccination can lower the risk of certain cancers. A risk factor is not a prediction or a cause in one individual.
Symptoms and possible early signs
Possible signs vary and are often caused by conditions other than cancer. Changes worth discussing include a new lump, unexplained bleeding or weight loss, a persistent cough, lasting bowel or bladder changes, a changing skin spot, or symptoms that persist or worsen. Some early cancers cause no symptoms.
Screening and early detection
Screening looks for certain cancers before symptoms begin. Recommended tests exist only for some cancers and depend on age and risk. Screening can have benefits and harms; it is not the same as evaluating a new symptom, and there is no single routine scan or blood test that reliably screens for every cancer.
How cancer is diagnosed
Diagnosis may involve a history and exam, imaging, laboratory tests, and often a biopsy. Pathology can identify the cancer type and may test biomarkers that guide treatment. Symptoms, screening results, tumor markers, or online stories alone cannot confirm cancer.
Learn about this story’s cancer topic
A public story may encourage questions, but it should not be used to estimate your risk or choose testing. Contact a healthcare professional about a persistent or concerning change. Seek urgent care for severe or rapidly worsening symptoms.