Actress Christina Applegate has breast cancer

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Actress Christina Applegate is undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

Ame Van Iden, publicist for the 36-year-old actress, released the following statement late Saturday:

"Christina Applegate was diagnosed with an early form of breast cancer. Benefiting from early detection through a doctor ordered MRI, the cancer is not life threatening. Christina is following the recommended treatment of her doctors and will have a full recovery."

Applegate has earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for her starring role in ABC's comedy "Samantha Who?" Applegate plays the title character, a young career woman who awakens from an eight-day coma remembering nothing about who she was before.

The series debuted last October and marked the return to television of Applegate, who helped establish the upstart Fox network in 1987 as ditzy teenager Kelly Bundy on "Married ... with Children." The raunchy comedy ran 11 seasons and has been airing in syndication ever since.

She won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2003 for her portrayal of Amy Green, the younger sister of Jennifer Aniston's character.

Applegate earned a 2005 Tony Award nomination for her Broadway role in "Sweet Charity."

"I'm really grateful that acting is the job that was chosen for me," Applegate told The Associated Press in April. "I get really lost when I'm not working. I don't know what I'm supposed to do with myself. Thank God for dance class and The New York Times crossword puzzle and `American Idol.' But acting is what I really have to do."

Applegate is among the celebrities scheduled to appear on the "Stand Up To Cancer" one-hour television special to be aired on ABC, CBS and NBC on Sept. 5 to raise funds for cancer research.