Supporting a Friend with Cancer
- Actress Shannen Doherty is currently facing metastatic breast cancer. But, thankfully, she has friends who are supporting her along the way.
- In a recent exchange on Instagram, we saw that Doherty was receiving messages of love from the married couple actress Roma Downey, 62, and producer Mark Burnett, 62 both of whom have watched a son battle a brain tumor.
- Metastatic breast cancer also called "stage four" breast cancer means that the cancer has spread, or metastasized, beyond the breasts to other parts of the body. There is technically no cure, but advancements in treatments can dramatically improve outcomes and that is something to be hopeful for.
- Supporting a friend or loved one with cancer can be hard. SurvivorNet suggests offering concrete ways to show the cancer warrior you care, allowing them to talk through their negative emotions with you, cooking them a healthy meal that they'll enjoy, doing activities with them that will lift their spirits and working to better understand their diagnosis if you're taking on more of a full-time caregiver role.
Doherty, best known for her roles in Heathers, Charmed and Beverly Hills, 90210, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 after finding a lump in her breast. She was initially treated with hormone therapy, but this effort turned out to be ineffective as the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes.
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In a recent post to her Instagram, Doherty shared a photo with her longtime friend and included a shout out to her pals actress Roma Downey, 62, and producer Mark Burnett, 62, as well.
“A little blue steel is never a bad thing. Trust, love, enduring loyalty are the things I value most. @chriscortazzo always hits all three,” she wrote in her caption. “Thank you Mr and Mrs B for a wonderful evening. @romadowney”
“Mr and Mrs B,” or Downey and Burnett, took the time to share some kind words for Doherty in the comment section of her post.
“Love you Shannon. You are family â¤ï¸,” Burnett wrote. His wife also commented with a heartfelt, “We love you guys 💙💙💙.”
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Receiving support from any friend during a cancer battle can be invaluable, but Downey and Burnett’s support may hold a special place for Doherty because they, too, have had a health battle hit close to home. Back in 2014, the couple’s son, Cameron, underwent brain tumor surgery as a teenager. Cameron is Downey’s step-son and Burnett's son from his previous marriage.
Sadly, Cameron did have to overcome some serious complications from the surgery. And it’s unclear if this hospitalization was related to his brain tumor, but just four years following his 9-hour operation, Cameron was back in the hospital.
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“Dear friends , Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your prayers for our son Cameron,” Downey wrote in 2018. “You all responded so fast and Mark and I are so appreciative of your kindness and prayer support . Please keep those prayers coming today so we can get him safely home from hospital and restored to perfect health . Thank you God for making a way . In Jesus name . Amen.”
Thankfully, Cameron is doing well today. And it’s nice to see that Doherty has lots of people in her corner as she continues to live with cancer including people who can relate.
Five Ways You Can Support Someone with Cancer
No matter what role you play, it can be very tough to know what to do when someone you care about is diagnosed with cancer. To help get you started, below are some ways to offer support to your loved ones with cancer.
- Avoid asking, try doing. Although it's understandable to not know how to best support your loved one during their cancer journey, it can be equally as hard for them to voice exactly what they need or want from you. Instead of always asking, "How can I help you?" maybe try saying something more concrete like, "Hey, can I come over at 8? I'll bring Monopoly." If you offer specific ways to support rather than ask for things they need, it's likely to come across as more genuine and feel easier for them to accept the support or help.
- Stay in touch, but "don't say stupid things." You might never be able to truly understand the battle your loved one is facing, but being a person they feel comfortable talking through some of their negative emotions with can make a big difference. That being said, breast cancer survivor Catherine Gigante-Brown says there are some topics you might want to avoid. "Don't burden us with stories about your Great Aunt Harriet who had breast cancer," she previously told SurvivorNet. "And then you say, 'Oh how's she doing?' And then they'll say, 'Oh, she died.' We don't need to hear the horror stories."
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- Offer to cook them a meal. Consider inviting them over for dinner, dropping off a special dish, or, if that's not possible, sending a gift basket with some pick-me-up goodies. If you're able to cook for them, perhaps try to make a healthy meal that will bring them joy. Remember that there's no specialized diet that has been found to fight cancer, but it's always a good idea to maintain a moderate diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, as well as fats and proteins. No matter what, it's the simple gesture of providing a meal that will make them feel loved and supported.
- Try helping them find joy. There's no one right way to do it, but try to think of activities you can do with your loved one that will lift them up. It could be something as simple as watching a funny tv series together, having a wine and paint night, taking a drive to a beautiful place or starting a book club with them. We've seen in previous studies that patients with better emotional health have a better quality of life when going through treatment and actually tend to live longer than those with worse emotional well-being. Dr. Dana Chase, a gynecologic oncologist at Arizona Oncology, says "better quality of life is associated with better survival, better outcomes… having a good social network can be very helpful."
Dr. Dana Chase explains how emotional health is key during a cancer journey
- Be involved. If you've take on more of a full-time caregiving role, work to understand your loved one's diagnosis and help them follow the instructions from the cancer-care team. "I encourage caregivers to come in to visits with my patients, because in that way, the caregiver is also listening to the recommendations what should be done in between these visits, any changes in treatment plans, any toxicities [side effects] that we need to look out for, changes in dietary habits, exercise, etc.," Dr. Jayanthi Lea, a gynecologic oncologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet.
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Understanding Shannen Doherty's Cancer: Metastatic Breast Cancer
Shannen Doherty is currently battling stage four, or metastatic, breast cancer. Metastatic breast cancer means that the cancer has spread, or metastasized, beyond the breasts to other parts of the body. It most commonly spreads to the bones, liver and lungs, but it may also spread to the brain or other organs.
And while there is technically no cure for metastatic breast cancer, there are a wide variety of treatment options used to battle the disease including hormone therapy, chemotherapy, targeted drugs, immunotherapy and a combination of various treatments.
In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. Elizabeth Comen, an oncologist with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, explained how she tries to manage breast cancer when it has progressed to a later stage.
"With advanced disease, the goal of treatment is to keep you as stable as possible, slow the tumor growth and improve your quality of life," she said.
The American Cancer Society reports there were more than 3.8 million U.S. women with a history of breast cancer alive at the start of 2019. Some of the women were cancer-free, and others still had evidence of the disease, but they also reported that more than 150,000 breast cancer survivors were living with metastatic disease, three-fourths of whom were originally diagnosed with stage I-III. And with ongoing advancements in treatments and options out there today that can dramatically reduce symptoms, there are many reasons to be hopeful.
One major advancement that's made recent headlines is the reclassification of some advanced breast cancers as HER2 "low." During an interview on ABC's “Good Morning America,” Dr. Comen highlighted an exciting treatment for this new classification of metastatic breast cancer patients.
"One of the most challenging types of cancer to treat is metastatic breast cancer," Dr. Comen said. "And a new treatment, an FDA approved treatment, called Enhertu or T-DXd is being used to improve the survival of patients with a new classification of metastatic breast cancer called HER2-low metastatic breast cancer," said Dr. Comen. "So, for anybody watching if they or their loved one has metastatic breast cancer, it's critical that they ask their doctor, 'Do I have HER2-low breast cancer and might this be an appropriate treatment for me?"
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