Inside Shannen Doherty's Cancer Battle and Health History
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Shannen Doherty was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, and she's documented her health journey since then, sharing her bravery as well as her fears and everyday struggles, from surgeries to shaving her head.
The actress, 52, is battling metastatic breast cancer. Doherty has stage IV breast cancer, which has spread previously to her her brain and recently to her bones, but is maintaining a positive outlook despite her circumstances.
"My greatest memory is yet to come. I pray. I wake up and go to bed thanking God, praying for the things that matter to me without asking for too much," she told PEOPLE in November 2023. "It connects me to a higher power and spirituality. My faith is my mantra."
Get the latest Shannen Doherty updates on her health and find out what she's dealt with so far.
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How is Shannen Doherty doing today?
Doherty revealed in November 2023 that her cancer had spread to her bones, but she's not slowing down or feeling sorry for herself.
"I don't want to die," she told PEOPLE. "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."
Her podcast, Let’s Be Clear with Shannen Doherty, launched on Dec. 6, 2023, and covers various aspects of her life, from her career and relationships to her health battle and friendships.
In addition to looking forward to her podcast, Doherty says that in general, she looks forward to everything in life now.
"I know it sounds cheesy and crazy," she said, "but you're just more aware of everything, and you feel so blessed."
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Is Shannen Doherty terminal?
As of November 2023, Doherty's cancer is terminal, but it doesn't mean she's slowing down. She told PEOPLE that she wants to prove that people with terminal cancer still have a lot to contribute to their own lives, as well as the world.
"When you ask yourself, 'Why me? Why did I get cancer?' and then 'Why did my cancer come back? Why am I stage 4?,' that leads you to look for the bigger purpose in life," she said. Her goal is to raise awareness and funds for cures, as well as to make it known that terminal patients aren't just "dead men walking."
"People just assume that it means you can't walk, you can't eat, you can't work," she said. "They put you out to pasture at a very early age—'You're done, you're retired,' and we're not. We're vibrant, and we have such a different outlook on life. We are people who want to work and embrace life and keep moving forward."
She added, "We're the people who want to work the most, because we're just so grateful for every second, every hour, every day we get to be here."
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Did Shannen Doherty's cancer spread to her brain?
Doherty revealed in June 2023 that her cancer had, in fact, spread to her brain. She told PEOPLE that she named her brain tumor Bob, her humor belying the fear she felt about its removal.
"He had to get removed and dissected to see his pathology," she said. "It was definitely one of the scariest things I've ever been through in my entire life."
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Is Shannen Doherty in remission from her cancer?
Doherty announced that her cancer was in remission in April 2017, but revealed in February 2020 that the disease had returned.
Did Shannen Doherty have brain surgery?
Doherty documented brain surgery that she underwent in January 2023. In a video posted to her Instagram in June 2023, she showed stickers on her head for the surgery and wrote, "January 16, 2023. Surgery. I had a tumor in my head they wanted to remove and also biopsy. I am clearly trying to be brave but I am petrified. The fear was overwhelming to me. Scared of all possible bad outcomes, worried about leaving my mom and how that would impact her. Worried that I would come out of surgery not me anymore. This is what cancer can look like."
Doherty told PEOPLE that initially after her brain surgery, she struggled to hold a glass or eating utensils.
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How long was Shannon Doherty in remission?
Doherty announced in February 2020 that her cancer had returned, but she'd kept her diagnosis a secret for more than a year at that point. She explained on Good Morning America that the death of her 90210 co-star Luke Perry moved her to keep mum about her own condition while the world mourned the beloved Riverdale actor.
Does Shannon Doherty have Crohn's?
Doherty was reportedly diagnosed with Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel condition that can cause abdominal pain, weight loss, severe diarrhea, malnutrition and fatigue, as a child. She revealed her Crohn's diagnosis in 1999.
