EXCLUSIVE: Shannen Doherty Used Teas and Acupuncture as She Hoped for 'Miracle' Cancer Cure Before Death at 53
Shannen Doherty died at 53 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
July 13 2026, Updated 1:32 p.m. ET
Shannen Doherty underwent traditional medical treatments and also turned to herbal remedies after being diagnosed with cancer, according to a source.
On the 2-year anniversary of the Charmed star's death at 53, RadarOnline.com revisits her brave cancer battle.
When Was Shannen Doherty Diagnosed With Cancer?
Shannen Doherty was diagnosed with cancer in 2015.
Doherty's cancer diagnosis was revealed in early 2015.
That same year, she fought the illness with both chemotherapy and a single mastectomy, according to legal documents connected to her lawsuit against her former management company, Tanner Mainstain.
The next year, she decided to shave her head after she began losing her hair due to her treatments.
"It was just shedding, and it was driving me crazy," she said at the time. "It was just clumps, and I was like, 'Just grab the kitchen scissors.' And my mom's like, 'Wait, wait, wait.' I'm just, like, 'Grab it.' She went and grabbed the kitchen scissors, and put it in a ponytail, and she just chopped it off. And it was this cute little bob, but it wasn't enough, you know, it was falling out."
Not long after that, the Beverly Hills, 90210 actress revealed that the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes, requiring both chemo and radiation.
Shannen Doherty went into remission for around two years.
Better news came in April 2017 when she revealed she was finally in remission. Sadly, her relief was short-lived. A couple of years later, it was confirmed that the cancer had returned.
"It's going to come out in a matter of days or a week that I'm stage four. So my cancer came back. And that's why I'm here," she explained in an interview with Amy Robach that aired on Good Morning America in February 2020.
"I don't think that I've processed it. It's a bitter pill to swallow in a lot of ways," she continued. "I have definite days where I say, 'Why me?' And then I have days where I say, 'Why not me? Who else? Who else besides me deserves this?' None of us do."
She also claimed that she was planning on writing letters or making videos to share with her loved ones before her eventual death.
"Whenever it comes time for me to do it, it feels so final," she said. "It feels like you’re signing off, and I’m not signing off. I feel like I’m a very, very healthy human being."
The cancer later spread to her bones and her brain.
Shannen Doherty Was 'Hoping' for a 'Miracle'
Shannen Doherty confirmed she had stage 4 cancer in 2020.
As Doherty battled the disease, a source claimed she dabbled in other forms of medicine in hopes of discovering a "miracle" cure.
"She’s doing acupuncture and mixing teas made from an assortment of strange and wonderful herbs said to be beneficial at slowing down, even stopping, the spread of cancer," a source claimed in a resurfaced interview with Radar.
"She’s not given up on her more traditional treatments," added the source, "but is hoping her New Age and zen way of looking at things is helping. She’s hoping and praying for a miracle!"
Shannen Doherty Dies at 53
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Shannen Doherty was 'surrounded by her loves ones' when she died.
On July 14, 2024, Doherty's publicist confirmed she'd passed away the day before. She was 53 years old.
"The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie," the statement read. "The family asks for their privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace."
