Big Bang Theory star Kate Micucci diagnosed with lung cancer, undergoes surgery

Actress-comedian Kate Micucci

Actress Kate Micucci, who starred as Lucy on the hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory, has revealed she has been diagnosed with lung cancer. On Saturday, the 43-year-old actress and comedian posted a video on TikTok and shared her diagnosis from the hospital after undergoing surgery to remove the disease, People reported.

She said, "Hey everybody, this is not a TikTok, it's a 'Sick Tok'. I'm in the hospital but it's because I had lung cancer surgery yesterday. They caught it really early. It's really weird, because I've never smoked a cigarette in my life so uh, you know, it was a surprise. But also I guess, also, it happens and so the greatest news is they caught it early, they got it out, I'm all good."

"But it's been a little bit of a trip, and I'll probably be moving slow for a few weeks, but then I'll be back at it." The actress went on to say that she was looking forward to painting again. "Why am I still talking? Because I'm on drugs," Micucci joked.

Micucci was then seen pushing an IV stand as she walked down a hallway in the hospital with a nurse. She flashed a thumb's up and said, "Woohoo... I gotta say, the artwork here is pretty nice." Micucci concluded the clip with a photo of herself beaming as she held up a banana and a box of Frosted Flakes while lying in a hospital bed.

In addition to her work as an actress, Micucci is a visual artist, comedian and singer-songwriter. Micucci was introduced in The Big Bang Theory's seventh season in 2013. She appeared in eight episodes of the long-running sitcom, playing Lucy, a socially awkward graduate student and the girlfriend of Raj (Kunal Nayyar). She made her last appearance in the show's 10th season in 2017.

Lung cancer is the top cancer killer in the United States, accounting for about 1 in 5 of all cancer deaths. Although smoking is by far the leading cause of lung cancer and it is rare for someone who has never smoked to be diagnosed, it is possible. According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer in people who don't smoke can be caused by exposure to radon, secondhand smoke, air pollution, or other factors.