Updated May 21, 2026, 11:51 a.m. ET
Vanessa Trump, the ex-wife of Donald Trump Jr., has revealed a breast cancer diagnosis.She shared on social media that she has undergone a procedure and is working on a treatment plan.Breast cancer is the most common cancer in U.S. women after skin cancer, but survival rates are increasing.Early detection through regular screening is considered the most reliable way to find breast cancer early.
Vanessa Trump, the girlfriend of Tiger Woods, recently revealed she has been diagnosed with breast cancer, sharing on social media that she underwent a procedure and is now working with her doctors on a treatment plan.
“I am staying focused and hopeful while surrounded by the love and support of my family, my kids and those closest to me,” she wrote on Instagram on May 20. Further details of Trump’s diagnosis are unclear.
Trump, 48, a former model and the ex‑wife of Donald Trump Jr., was married to him for more than a decade before their 2018 divorce. The pair share five children, and she has remained close to the Trump family while drawing recent attention for her relationship with golfer Tiger Woods.
She is the mother of aspiring golfer Kai Trump, who signed an endorsement deal with TaylorMade. Kai, who is slated to play golf for the University of Miami, attends the same school as Woods’ son, Charlie, in North Palm Beach, Florida. Woods’ daughter, Sam, did attend that school, but is now at Stanford.
After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States, according to Mayo Clinic. But survival rates have been increasing.
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“The number of people dying of breast cancer is steadily going down. Much of this is due to the widespread support for breast cancer awareness and funding for research,” the clinic notes. “Advances in breast cancer screening allow healthcare professionals to diagnose breast cancer earlier.”
Finding breast cancer early is also one of the best ways to prevent death from the disease, the American Cancer Society adds.
“If breast cancer is found early, when it’s small and has not spread, it is easier to treat successfully,” the organization notes. “Getting regular screening tests is the most reliable way to find breast cancer early.”
While the exact cause of most breast cancers is unknown, there are certain things − including hormones, lifestyle choices and environmental factors – that can increase risk, Mayo Clinic explains.
For example, hormone factors may include pregnancy and menopausal hormone therapy, lifestyle factors include alcohol use and obesity, and environmental factors include radiation exposure.
“But it’s not clear why some people who don’t have any factors get cancer, yet others with risk factors never do,” the clinic adds. “It’s likely that breast cancer happens through a complex interaction of your genetic makeup and the world around you.”
Breast cancer treatment often starts with surgery to remove the cancer, Mayo Clinic notes. But most people will have other treatments after surgery, the clinic adds, such as radiation, chemotherapy and hormone therapy.
Someone’s treatment plan will depend on their particular breast cancer.
“Your healthcare team considers the stage of the cancer, how quickly it’s growing and whether the cancer cells are sensitive to hormones. Your care team also considers your overall health and what you prefer,” the clinic notes, adding there are many options for treatment available.
Contributing: Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY