Shannen Doherty Reveals the Fellow '90s Star Who Played a Key Role in Her Cancer Journey

The actor was integral to introducing Doherty to her now-oncologist, whom she liked because he wasn’t "intimidated" by her during their first meeting

Shannen Doherty is opening up about how fellow '90s star David Charvet has helped her navigate her cancer journey.

On the latest episode of her podcast Let’s Be Clear with Shannen Doherty, the Beverly Hills, 90210 alum, 52, revealed that Charvet assisted her in finding a new doctor when she started feeling “a little bit lost” following her 2015 breast-cancer diagnosis.

“I was definitely feeling adrift, if you will, in my cancer journey, and I knew that something needed to change,” she shared. “I just didn't know how to change it.”

Doherty recalled how the former Baywatch star, 51, introduced her to her now-oncologist Dr. Lawrence Piro, who was her guest on the episode.

“A lot of patients feel as if they don't have the right to ask for a better doctor or to change doctors, or they're scared their insurance won't cover a new doctor,” she explained. “I felt that for a minute until I got a phone call from my friend Chris, who said he was good friends with a mutual friend of ours, David.”

Related: Shannen Doherty Is ‘Thankful to Be Here’ on Christmas After Tough Year: ‘Next Year’s Going to Be Beautiful’

“And David really wanted to introduce me to this oncologist that he said saved his father's life with cancer and he felt very strongly about, and that meeting happened to be when I met you,” she told Piro.

Piro shared that Charvet, whose ex-wife Brooke Burke was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2012, invited him to a dinner to meet Doherty and see if they would make “a good team” for the Charmed alum's cancer treatment.

He said the pair immediately clicked, as they are both not “beat-around-the-bush people."

“We just jumped right in and within five minutes, we were pretty connected and pretty sure that we understood one another and that we'd be a great team,” Piro added.

Doherty remembered how Piro wasted no time in helping her move forward on her cancer journey.

“You understood why I was feeling a bit lost and you definitely had opinions on what should change and what needed to get done immediately,” she shared. “And I really respected the fact that you had a strong standpoint, and you weren't intimidated by who I am but also, more importantly, by my personality. You have just as big of a personality as I do, so we were able to really mesh on that level."

Doherty added that Piro insisted she come to his clinic “right away” to receive treatment.

“I felt like, 'This is somebody who is going to really be thoughtful with my care,' which was incredibly important to me,” she said. “And he understands that there's nothing more integral than me tackling this and getting better."

Related: Ian Ziering Calls Shannen Doherty a 'Fighter' amid News Her Cancer Has Spread: 'It’s Not Over' (Exclusive)

Doherty has long been open about her cancer journey. After her initial diagnosis, chemotherapy and surgery, she went into remission in 2017. By 2019, however, the cancer had returned — and she announced her diagnosis of metastatic stage 4 cancer the following year.

In June, the Heathers actress shared that the cancer had spread to her brain. At the time, she posted a video on Instagram of herself undergoing radiation therapy.

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A few months later, in a November cover story interview with PEOPLE, Doherty revealed that the cancer had spread to her bones. But she was receiving treatment, and hoped to get into clinical trials developing new treatments for metastatic breast cancer.

“I don’t want to die,” she said at the time. “I’m not done with living. I’m not done with loving. I’m not done with creating. I’m not done with hopefully changing things for the better. I’m just not — I’m not done.”

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