Shannen Doherty was “petrified” before she underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from her head.
Shannen Doherty was ‘petrified’ before she underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from her head
The ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ actress, 52, is in the midst of her stage 4 breast cancer battle, has posted a throwback video showing her being prepared for the operation in January, and told fans it shows the reality of what the illness “can look like”.
She posted alongside the clip: “January 16, 2023. Surgery. I had a tumour 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.”
Shannen posted the video days after she shared an update on Instagram on her condition, telling her fans her the cancer has spread to her brain.
She said last week: “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.”
A CT scan had shown the ‘Charmed’ star had brain metastases, which occurs when cancer cells spread from their original site to the brain.
Shannen added: “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.”
Shannen – who filed for divorce from her third husband, photographer Kurt Iswarienko, 48, in April – was diagnosed with breast cancer for the first time in March 2015, and told in February 2020 how she was battling stage 4 breast cancer.
In 2021, she said on ‘Good Morning America’ about how she was “fighting to stay alive” and was resisting making a “bucket list” as it would mean she was living as if she was approaching death.
She added: “I never want to operate (like I am dying. I just want to operate as I don’t have things to check off because I’m going to keep fighting to stay alive.”
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