Shannen Doherty is hopeful that future advancements in the treatment of cancer will allow her to live a longer life.
“I always talk about the fact that we just need to squeeze out another three to five years, and then there’s going to be T-cell therapy or there’s going to be this,” the “Charmed” star said on Monday’s episode of her podcast “Let’s Be Clear.“
“There’s going to be a lot more options that will give another five years.”
“Then in those five years, there’s a whole other group of options, and eventually there’s going to be a cure,” she added.
Doherty’s guest, oncologist Dr. Lawrence Piro, used an analogy of horse racing to describe how cancer patients may use one treatment to hold out for another emerging treatment.
“I always say that it’s important to think of each therapy as a horse, and in a horse race, you want to ride every horse as long as it rides, and then you ride the next horse as much as possible… you hope you make it a few laps then there’s altogether another new set of horses to ride, to make the race that much longer,” he said.
After praising Dr. Piro’s analogy, Doherty said, “I’m riding those horses so I get to the fresh set of horses, and I’m trying to get the one I’m on right now to last for as long as humanly possible.”
The “Beverly Hills, 90210” star was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015.
While her cancer went into remission two years later, it returned as Stage 4 cancer in 2019.
In June, the actress revealed that her cancer had metastasized, spreading to her bones and brain earlier that year.
Doherty, 52, underwent surgery in January 2023 to remove a brain tumor.
“January 16, 2023. Surgery. I had a tumor in my head they wanted to remove and also biopsy,” Doherty recalled in a June Instagram post. “I am clearly trying to be brave but I am petrified.”
Despite the serious treatments, Doherty launched her podcast in late November, discussing topics relevant to her condition with new episodes released every week.
“I don’t want to die,” she told People in an interview released following the launch of her podcast.
“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. I’m just not done,” she added. “My greatest memory is yet to come.”
Continuing, Doherty — who filed for divorce from Kurt Iswarienko in 2023 following rumors of infidelity — emphasized that cancer hasn’t stopped her from feeling grateful.
“I pray. I wake up and go to bed thanking God, praying for the things that matter to me without asking for too much. It connects me to a higher power and spirituality. My faith is my mantra.”
“My life up until this moment was all getting me ready for what God has me here to accomplish,” she said. “I think that’s to reach people who have cancer, that are impacted by it, in such a profound way to help bring awareness, to help raise money.”
