Amy Robach Says She's 'Putting Off' Blood Work for 'Fear' of Breast Cancer Recurrence

Robach admitted she hasn't had blood work done since August 2022 during the latest episode of the 'Amy & T.J.' podcast

Amy Robach is reluctant to get blood work done after her Stage II breast cancer diagnosis in 2013.

During the latest episode of the Amy and T.J. Podcast, released Thursday, Robach, 51, explained how the last blood work she had done was in August 2022.

While speaking to Dr. Elizabeth Comen, an oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, on the podcast, Robach revealed that she should have had blood work done in February 2023, but she didn't amid the spotlight surrounding her and partner T.J. Holmes' relationship at the time.

"We were going through our hell and yes, it was the last thing on my mind," the former Good Morning America anchor said.

Robach learned about her cancer diagnosis after she had a mammogram live on GMA. She had a double mastectomy and eight rounds of chemotherapy, before her final round of treatment in April 2014.

Related: Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes Break Their Silence: ‘We Lost the Jobs We Love Because We Love Each Other’

She continued about why she's been putting the blood work off, "I think anyone who has survived this knows that when you go in for the blood work, it's very emotional, because you're literally getting, they're looking for tumor markers is what they're looking for."

"So if the cancer were to come back in the places you don't want it to with breast cancer, bones, liver, lungs, brain, you would think that you'd get a blood test that would show a tumor marker, which means that you would be facing then a terminal yet treatable, but ultimately a terminal cancer. And so I think the fear of that, you get into this mindset, I don't want to know. I'd rather not know," she added.

"It's not going to make a difference anyway. You start to get in that head space and maybe it's an excuse just not to have to go to the doctor again or go back to the NYU cancer center again or just to avoid something that's uncomfortable and scary," Robach continued.

Holmes, 46, explained, "I've covered, obviously covered breast cancer. I've known people with breast cancer. I'm now in love with somebody who is a breast cancer survivor. But it always bothered me and it scares me, right?" He later added, "And all I'm hearing is that this woman I've gone through all this with isn't doing all she can to make sure we have as much time together as we can. Does that make sense?" Robach agreed with what Holmes was saying, admitting it was "selfish" of her to not get the tests done.

Related: Amy Robach ‘Excited’ About Turning 51: 'Birthday Week Probably Going to Turn Into Birthday Month’

Robach added, "Do you know what's interesting is I preach this or I have preached this to so many women who, this is what I'm saying right now is the same mentality a lot of women have about not getting mammograms because they don't want to know. They don't want to find the mass. They don't want to know if they have cancer because that's scary and that means it's going to be difficult."

"And so that ignorance is bliss mentality, as stupid as that is. And as illogical as that is somehow becomes this human trait that I'm now experiencing because I've put it off and once you keep putting it off, you're like, 'Oh, this feels so good to not have to make a phone call. This feels so good to not have go get a blood test. I feel normal. I feel like I never had cancer and that's what I want to feel.' And so then somehow I want to wish it into existence, but it's illogical and dumb," she admitted.

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In January, Robach spoke about her diagnosis during an episode of the couple's podcast, recalling how she "thought she was going to die" when she was diagnosed and still relives that fear "every six months," when she gets checkups.

"You’re still wondering about how much time you have left," Holmes said to Robach.

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