ɪn fˈɛbɹuːˌɛɹi tˈuː θˈaʊzənd fˈoːɹ, zˈɪskɪn wʌz dˌaɪəɡnˈoʊzd wɪð stˈeɪdʒ θɹˈiː bɹˈɛst kˈænsɚ, ɐ dɪzˈiːz dˈɑːktɚz hæd ɹᵻpˈiːɾᵻdli mˈɪst pɹˈiːviəsli bɪkˈʌz ʌvðə dᵻfjˈuːz tˈaɪp ʌv kˈænsɚ ʃiː hˌæd.
In February 2004, Ziskin was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer, a disease doctors had repeatedly missed previously because of the diffuse type of cancer she had.