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Shannen Doherty gives health update amid cancer battle: ‘My fear is obvious’

“I felt your anxiety and tears. So proud of you for having the strength to get through it. Sending hugs!” one person wrote


Daniel Neira - Los Angeles
Senior WriterLos Angeles
JUNE 7, 2023 4:44 PM EDT

Shannen Doherty is giving an update on her difficult battle with cancer. The 52-year-old actress is sharing details about her health with her fans and followers after her 4 breast cancer diagnosis was revealed.

The ‘Charmed’ star shared a video undergoing radiation therapy, admitting that she had experienced claustrophobia. “January 12, the first round of radiation took place,” the actress wrote. “My fear is obvious. I am extremely claustrophobic, and there was a lot going on in my life.”

© Shannen Doherty/Instagram

“I am fortunate as I have great doctors like Dr. Amin Mirahdi and the amazing techs at Cedar Sinai,” she continued. “But that fear…. The turmoil….. the timing of it all…. This is what cancer can look like.”

The CT scan also showed that Doherty had brain metastases. “I had many nose bleeds from the chemo,” she previously explained, “Not sure if any of you experienced this. I also was beyond tired.”

© Shannen Doherty/Instagram

Back in 2021, the actress revealed that she was “fighting” for her life but continued to have a positive attitude. “I just want to operate as I don’t have things to check off because I’m going to keep fighting to stay alive,” she said on GMA.

Doherty went on to encourage her followers “to get mammograms, to get regular checkups, to cut thru the fear and face whatever might be in front of you,” adding, “Is it all pretty? NO but it’s truthful and my hope in sharing is that we all become more educated, more familiar with what cancer looks like.”

“I felt your anxiety and tears. So proud of you for having the strength to get through it. Sending hugs!” one person wrote, while someone else commented, “People don’t see this side of cancer . Thank you for being vulnerable. Two time breast cancer survivor here.”