Shannen Doherty Starts Radiation Therapy On The Brain After The Latest CT Shows That Her Cancer Has Spread
Shannen Doherty shared another moment of raw vulnerability as she revealed recent developments in her ongoing fight against Stage 4 breast cancer.
Last Tuesday, she took to Instagram and revealed that the cancer cells had spread to her brain based on the CT scan she had earlier this year. This is referred to as brain metastases.
According to the Mayo Clinic, breast cancer is one of the leading causes of brain metastases. This is the growth of tumors or several tumors in a person’s brain.
The Charmed actress provided details, saying that she had her first round of radiation therapy on January 12 and that despite having a great medical team, she was still afraid. And part of her post was a heartbreaking clip of Shannen crying as she received the treatment she needed at Los Angeles’ Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
She began her post by saying, “January 12, 2023, on January 5th, my CT scan showed Mets in my brain.”
Shannen then uploaded several video clips of her getting an MRI. She further explained that what was happening was part of the process where she was to be fitted with a mask she’d need to wear while receiving radiation therapy for her brain.
In the video clip, she lay down while a medical team placed a blue mold on her face. She also bit down to ensure the mask was perfectly fit and well-adhered to her chin and mouth. The actress started crying when the doctors held the edges of the blue mold and pinned it to a board behind her head before she was moved into the machine.
According to NYU Langone Health, radiation treatment aims to destroy cancer cells through energy beams. Ideally, it targets all or just a part of the brain based on the patient’s diagnosis.
Shannen further wrote on her Instagram, “I am extremely claustrophobic, and a lot was going on in my life.” She expressed her gratitude by writing, “I am fortunate as I have great doctors like Dr. Amin Mirahdi and the amazing techs at Cedar Sinai.”
But she was clear that her fear, the turmoil, and the timing could take their toll and that what she was going through was the reality of cancer.
The Beverly Hills 90210 alum’s health update comes after she made accusations against SAG-AFTRA for canceling her medical insurance primarily because of her income level last March. According to the agency’s website, “You must earn $26,470 in your Base Earnings Period to receive Earned Eligibility for Active Plan health coverage.”
Shannen tagged Fran Drescher, the president of SAG-AFTRA and a cancer survivor herself, in her March 9 post and wrote, “I’m curious for people like me who have worked since they were ten and paid dues to @sagaftra how when we aren’t able to work for health reasons why our union abandons us.”
The actress argued that health insurance should not be based on yearly earnings, given that it is a lifetime contribution. She further stated that it was not OK for the insurance company to cancel her medical insurance just because she didn’t meet their criteria.
As of date, representatives of SAG-AFTRA or Fran Drescher have not commented on the issue.
