June 4, 2025, 9:15 am | Read time: 5 minutes

“It’s a strange topic and a strange situation”: Pop star Jessie J announced in a video on her Instagram channel that she has been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. After her upcoming concert, she will “disappear for a while” to undergo surgery, the 36-year-old Brit told her fans. She learned of her diagnosis just two months ago. She finds hope in the fact that the disease was detected at an early stage, she said.

“Before ‘No Secrets’ Came Out, I Was Diagnosed with Early-Stage Breast Cancer”

She wondered whether to share the news, Jessie J begins her statement. There are many opinions out there, and she knows the media will make it bigger than it needs to be. “But I also know that I want to share it with my fans and the people who care about me.” She has always shared everything going on in her life, the 36-year-old said.

The singer learned of her diagnosis at the end of April. “Before ‘No Secrets’ came out, I was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer,” the singer says in the one-and-a-half-minute video.

“Cancer in Any Form Is Awful, but I Hold on to the Word ‘Early'”

“I emphasize the word ‘early.’ Cancer is awful in any form, but I hold on to the word ‘early.’ I was constantly undergoing tests.” She wanted to “just be open and share it.” Partly because she “doesn’t talk about it enough.” “I don’t process it because I work so hard,” Jessie J’s honest words reveal.

Emotional support seems important to her—not only in her private life but also from fans and the community. Encouragement apparently helps the singer not to lose confidence. “I also know how much love and support from other people have helped me in the past,” says the 36-year-old. She herself is “an open book.”

Jessie J Will Undergo Surgery for Her Breast Cancer

Confident and very humorous, she concludes: “I just want you to know that it wasn’t planned, but yes, I will keep my nipples. That’s good. It’s a strange topic and a strange situation […].” After her performance at the annual “Summertime Ball” on June 15 at Wembley Stadium in London, she will “disappear for a bit” to have surgery. She will return—”with bigger breasts and new music,” the singer jokes.

At 36, Jessie J is not yet in the age group for routine breast screening. It usually starts at age 50 (exceptions: family history, specific suspicion). Early breast cancer can thus be discovered by chance through self-examination or during routine breast cancer screening at the doctor (palpation, ultrasound) and symptoms like lumps, pain, or discharge from the nipple. It’s possible that Jessie J noticed the lump herself—and then specifically requested an examination.

Increasingly Younger Women Affected

Jessie J’s open words certainly draw attention to the issue. And that’s good: because the numbers show that it’s important for women under 50 to be aware of possible symptoms and seek medical advice early if there are any abnormalities.

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women. According to the Robert Koch Institute, almost 30 percent of affected women in Germany are younger than 55 at the time of diagnosis. This means that nearly one-third of breast cancer cases in Germany affect women under 55.

More on the topic

Diagnosis: Cribriform Carcinoma How Former ‘Baywatch’ Star Nicole Eggert Is Battling Breast Cancer

"Suddenly, Life Is Turned Upside Down" Breast Cancer at 39–TV Host Charlotte Potts Goes Public with Diagnosis

Early-Stage Breast Cancer – Chances of Recovery

Breast cancer (mammary carcinoma) in its early stage, also known as “early breast cancer,” means that the cancer was detected early. It is usually confined to the breast or nearby lymph nodes, meaning the cancer is still small and has not spread to other organs. The chances of recovery from early-stage breast cancer are generally very good.

These Symptoms May Indicate Breast Cancer

According to the German Cancer Aid, a common first sign can be feeling a lump or thickening in the breast or armpit. However, one should also watch for the following changes, as they can also indicate breast cancer:

• Changes in breast shape or size: These can include sudden developments into an asymmetrical shape or changes in the contour of the breast
• Skin changes on the breast: These include redness, scaling, swelling, or dimpling (like an orange peel)
• Changes in the nipple: These can manifest as a suddenly inverted nipple, discharge of clear or bloody fluid, or changes in the color of the nipple
• Pain in the breast or chest area: Pain can have various causes, including breast cancer¹