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Amber Woods is sharing her story.
The X Factor _Malta_ alum (Amber Fisher) detailed the harrowing health journey that led to her stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis in December, including several misdiagnoses.
“The thing about pancreatic cancer, and the reason why they call it the silent killer, is because you don't realize something's wrong until it's further down the line,” Amber explained to People in an interview published on April 2. “I'm trying to help people catch their cancer earlier and be their own advocate.”
The 25-year-old—who competed on X Factor Malta in 2021 and returned for season four in 2023—had just graduated college and was looking for a job when she started experiencing health issues last spring.
After detailing her concerns about bloating, hemorrhoids and shortness of breath, doctors were focused on other possibilities.
“They were telling me it was acid reflux,” she said. “It was super severe, but they were like, you're 25, what else could it be?”
Within eight months, Amber’s condition had worsened. When she was “consistently throwing up” by the last week of December, the singer ended up going to the ER with her mom.
“The first thing they said was, ‘You must be pregnant. Let’s get an ultrasound,’” Amber recalled. “Then the doctor came up to me. ‘We saw a lot of lesions in your liver, and we think it might be parasites, so we're gonna have you do a CT scan.’”
Amber Woods/Facebook
But the scan ultimately confirmed a diagnosis that Amber never thought was possible at her age.
“The doctor pulls me and my mom into a room and he says to me—so coldly—you have cancer,” she said. “I'm in shock. I'm like, ‘What do you mean? This can't be right.’”
“He's like, ‘No. You have pancreatic cancer metastasized to your liver, so stage 4,’” she continued. “‘Now you're gonna go up to radiology, and they will stick a 20-inch needle into you and biopsy your liver so we can see what kind of tumor you have.’”
After seeking out a second opinion from a separate oncologist, Amber learned that she had a less aggressive case of pancreatic cancer that was "further along" and would need to take chemo pills in order to shrink the tumor.
She's currently in the midst of that process and won't know if the pills—which have caused nausea, exhaustion and constipation—are effective until next month. As she put it, "It takes about three or four months. S ince the tumors were slow to grow, they're gonna be slow to shrink."
However, if the pills successfully shrink the tumor, Amber will be eligible for surgery to remove her pancreas and spleen, and replace her liver.
Amber Woods/Facebook
“I'm really scared,” she said. “It's a big surgery, but I just keep telling myself, it's worth it to live a long life, potentially cancer-free. Pancreatic cancer can't come back if I do that surgery—because I won't have a pancreas.”
While Amber waits a few more weeks for the results, she’s been trying to stay busy by leaning into the support of her friends and family, as well as continuing her pursuit of music.
“A big portion of my day is dedicated to my cancer care, but I'm also writing music, I'm trying to get outside," she shared. "I try to live my life, but I'm also trying to find purpose by just advocating and trying to make people more aware.”
And though the road ahead is unknown, Amber hopes her experience can help others.
“I want people to know that, if you feel like there's something wrong with you, push your doctors, go to the emergency room, don't stop until they really look into it,” she emphasized. “I had asked many times for them to do scans or something, and they just dismissed me.”
“I truly believe that staying positive and keeping my mind healthy is what will get me through this,” Amber continued, noting that she keeps telling herself, “This is not the end for me.”
“There's more,” she added, “and I just gotta get through this.”
For more stars who have candidly shared details about their journeys with cancer, keep reading…
Paul Archuleta/Getty Images
Colin Egglesfield
The All My Children alum announced in January 2025 that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his third cancer diagnosis throughout his life.
Despite the devastating news, he announced (for the third time) in February 2025 he was cancer-free following successful surgery and treatments.
“Remember, you’re not defined by any of your challenges," he wrote in his February 2025 Instagram update. "You’re grander than it all. I’m not my fear, my anxiousness or my scars but I embrace it all because the only way to transform it is to own it.”
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Gerry Turner
The former Golden Bachelor star shared in Dec. 2024 that he had been diagnosed with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia, a bone cancer.
"Unfortunately, there's no cure for it,” Gerry noted to People at the time. “S o that weighs heavily in every decision I make. It was like 10 tons of concrete were just dropped on me. And I was a bit in denial for a while, I didn't want to admit to it.”
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Ariana Madix
"I had to have a lil bit o'cancer removed from my body and lymph nodes biopsied," the Vanderpump Rules star revealed to fans at the close of 2018. "(In the clear now!)"
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Christina Applegate
The Up All Night star was declared "100-percent clear" of breast cancer after treatment and a double mastectomy.
Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images
Jim Beaver
The actor, known for roles in The Boys and Supernatural, shared on Feb. 3, 2023, that he had battled prostate cancer for years and was cancer free.
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Marcia Cross
The Desperate Housewives star revealed to fans in September 2018 that she survived anal cancer. "After posting a picture of myself here and uttering the words #cancer and #hairloss, I feel liberated, deliriously free and completely me," she shared on Instagram.
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Dustin Hoffman
The two-time Oscar winner underwent successful treatment for cancer, and his rep confirmed to E! News that doctors deemed Hoffman "surgically cured."
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Hugh Jackman
The X-Men star was treated for his third basal cell carcinoma back in 2014, and after his third treatment, Jackman's rep told E! News that he's "all good" now.
In April 2023, Hugh had two biopsies for additional basal cell carcinoma. At the time, he told fans, "If I can just take this opportunity to remind you summer is coming for those of us in the northern hemisphere, please wear sunscreen."
Adam Olszweski/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank
Camille Grammer
The former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star celebrated one year of being cancer-free in January. The mother of two was diagnosed with endometrial cancer back in 2013 and underwent a radical hysterectomy.
Then in 2017, Camille had surgery to remove Squamous Cell Carcinoma, a type of skin cancer.
Gordon Ramsay / Instagram
Gordon Ramsay
Alongside a pair of photos that show a line of stitches running from the bottom of his ear to his jaw, which he later covered with a bandage, the British celebrity chef shared that he underwent a procedure to treat skin cancer.
“Grateful and so appreciative for the incredible team at The Skin Associates and their fast reactive work on removing this Basal Cell Carcinoma,” Gordon wrote on InstagramAugust 2025. “Please don’t forget your sunscreen this weekend.”
“I promise you it’s not a face lift,” he added. “I’d need a refund…”
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Cobie Smulders
The Avengers: Age of Ultron actress battled ovarian cancer at the age of 25 and overcome odds when she welcomed two children with husband Taran Killam.
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Dr. Drew Pinsky
TV host reveals he underwent surgery for**prostate cancer** in July 2013 and has since been given a clean bill of health.
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Brooke Burke
The Dancing with the Stars cohost underwent successful surgery for thyroid cancer. The mother of four**tweeted**, "Thx for all the twitter love. I'm [home] recovering & resting."
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Angie Everhart
"MY DR CALLED ME ON A SAT. MORNING TO TELL ME I AM CANCER FREE!!!!! #wootothemotherf--kinhoo," the actress tweeted after receiving the good news.
Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images
Michael C. Hall
The Dexter star used a hiatus from his hit series to slay Hodgkin's lymphoma.
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Michelle Monaghan
The Australian actress revealed in October 2011 that she had a cancerous mole removed from her calf after her hubby encouraged her to get the suspicious-looking mark checked out.
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney
Ewan McGregor
The Scot is trainspotting just fine these days after having a cancerous mole removed from beneath his right eye.
Brad Barket/Getty Images for Happy Hearts Fund
Sheryl Crow
The singer beat breast cancer in 2004 with a "minimally invasive" lumpectomy and radiation therapy.
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Michael Douglas
The Oscar winner declared in early 2011 that his tumor was gone and he had throat cancer "beat."
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Edie Falco
The Emmy winner whacked breast cancer in 2004.
Doug Meszler / Splash News
Anderson Cooper
Surely the CNN veteran wears his SPF when he's braving the elements now after having a cancerous growth removed from under his left eye in 2008.
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Kylie Minogue
The Australian pop star underwent successful surgery for breast cancer in 2005.
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Barry Watson
The 7th Heaven star was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease when he was only 28. He's 50 now and looking good!
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Maura Tierney
The ER fave had to abandon her role in Parenthood to**fight breast cancer** in 2009—but her treatment was a success and she was back on the red carpet in no time.
CBS
Sharon Osbourne
The America's Got Talent judge was diagnosed with colon cancer while shooting The Osbournes in 2002 and used the opportunity to stress the importance of regular screenings while attacking the #@%! with chemotherapy. She was declared cancer-free the following year.
Jemal Countess/Getty Images for the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival
Robert De Niro
The Oscar winner took prostate cancer down, down to Chinatown, in 2003, and has been in about 400 movies since then.
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Robin Roberts
The Good Morning America cohost proudly flaunted her smooth scalp while undergoing chemotherapy to treat breast cancer in 2007.
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Lance Armstrong
The champion cyclist battled back from stage-four testicular cancer before winning seven straight Tour de France titles.
Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
Melissa Etheridge
The Grammy and Oscar winner became an inspiring activist after a lumpectomy and chemotherapy cleared her of breast cancer in 2005.
Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images for LA Times
Julia Sweeney
The former Saturday Night Live standout mined her breast cancer battle for comedic material that turned into God Said Ha!, her successful one-woman show that eventually went to Broadway.
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