The Navy's highest-ranking military officer is treated successfully for breast cancer

WASHINGTON — Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the Navy's highest-ranking military officer, was treated successfully for early-stage breast cancer this summer, the service announced Friday.

Franchetti's stage 1 breast cancer was discovered during a routine mammogram in June, and she underwent outpatient surgery in July at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to treat it. She temporarily transferred power to her vice chief of naval operations during that time.

She underwent additional therapy this month and is now cancer-free, the Navy said. Franchetti is the second senior defense official to announce a cancer diagnosis this year.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was hospitalized in January after complications from prostate cancer treatment but waited for weeks to tell anyone, including President Joe Biden, of his diagnosis. He was in the hospital for days without notifying the White House, drawing harsh criticism from Capitol Hill and spurring multiple reviews.

A defense official said Franchetti notified Austin, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. CQ Brown Jr., the secretary of the Navy and others in her chain of command when she was diagnosed in June and notified them again during her July surgery.

Biden nominated Franchetti to serve as the first female chief of naval operations in 2023.

Franchetti, a surface warfare officer, has commanded at all levels. She headed the U.S. 6th Fleet and U.S. Naval Forces Korea. She was the second woman ever to be promoted to four-star admiral and she did multiple deployments, including as commander of a naval destroyer and two stints as aircraft carrier strike group commander.

In a statement, Franchetti said she was thankful for the excellent care she received at Walter Reed and that she is "blessed that this was detected early and will forever be an advocate for early and routine screening.''