Celebrity News June 07, 2023
Shannen Doherty Reveals Cancer Has Spread to Her Brain
Shannen Doherty is opening up about her cancer journey.
The “90210” alum shared on Instagram that after being diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in February 2020, she learned in January 2023 that she had brain metastases. This means the cancer has spread to her brain.
She posted a video along with the message, “On January 5th, my ct scan showed Mets in my brain… January 12, the first round of radiation took place. My fear is obvious. I am extremely claustrophobic and there was a lot going on in my life. I am fortunate as I have great doctors like Dr Amin Mirahdi and the amazing techs at cedar sinai. But that fear…. The turmoil….. the timing of it all…. This is what cancer can look like.”
Her famous friends rallied in the comments. Selma Blair wrote, “This is a lot. This is a lot to take on , still again. And I am wishing for all the wise peace you have learned to find you in the terror moments. To know we are holding you. Love. All love. 💛”
Kevin Smith added, “Rooting for you, my irreplaceable friend. You have been such a fearless fighter your whole life, so it’s understandable to be a little scared from time to time. But when those moments pass, let that indomitable Doherty spirit take over anew. I love you so much, my Mallrat.”
Nina Garcia added, “Thank you for sharing @theshando you are so brave. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.”
On June 5 she shared a video of herself being fitted for the mask she had to wear during radiation treatment. She included the caption, “January 9, 2023.”
The radiation treatments may have started around the same time as her split with husband Kurt Iswarienko.
She filed for divorce from Kurt in April, and according to court docs obtained by TMZ, they separated in January.
As for her cancer battle, Doherty was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, but went into remission. She revealed in 2017 that the cancer had returned.
In 2019, she told “Extra’s” Renee Bargh, “I'm feeling really good right now,” adding that her illness changed her outlook. “I learned so much about myself. I learned so much about the world and the people in it. You learn to be soft, and you still learn to cut through the B.S. and get straight to the point because you're thinking for the rest of your life time is precious, time is short and you don't want to waste it, and I think that's something that is really beautiful. You really learn to appreciate the moments that need to be appreciated.”
In 2020, when she learned of the stage 4 diagnosis, she told ABC News, “It's going to come out in a matter of days or a week that I'm stage 4. So my cancer came back, and that's why I'm here. I don't think I've processed it. It's a bitter pill to swallow in a lot of ways.”
The 48-year-old admitted, “I definitely have days where I say, 'Why me?' And then I go, 'Well, why not me? Who else? Who else besides me deserves this?' None of us do. But I would say that my first reaction is always concern about how — how am I going to tell my mom, my husband."