Navy reveals top military official beat breast cancer

The United States Navy announced on Friday that Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti was diagnosed and beat Stage 1 breast cancer earlier this year.

The revelation comes after Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was hospitalized over complications from his prostate cancer treatment earlier this year. The top Defense official faced heavy backlash at the time due to a lack of transparency over the issue.

Franchetti's breast cancer was diagnosed during a mammogram in June, and she was treated with an outpatient procedure at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in July. Following the surgery, she was treated with radiation therapy, and has since been declared cancer-free. She has also begun maintenance endocrine therapy.

The military branch said Franchetti properly transferred her authority to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations during her surgery.

“I am grateful for my wonderful team of doctors at John P. Murtha Cancer Center for their excellent care and their development of a treatment plan that allows me to continue leading the world’s greatest Navy,”  the admiral said in a statement. “I am blessed that this was detected early and will forever be an advocate for early and routine screening.”

The Navy also noted that Austin, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. CQ Brown Jr., Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, and other people in her command chain were notified of Franchetti's diagnosis in June, and notified again in July when she had the surgery, according to the Associated Press.

Franchetti has served as the Chief of Naval Operations since 2023, is the first woman to serve in the role. She is the second to become a four-star admiral.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.