Actress Suzanne Somers has died at age 76 after being diagnosed with breast cancer more than two decades ago, the disease that ultimately took her life.
Somers was best known for her roles in the hit comedies “Three’s Company” and “Step by Step,” and later for her health and fitness ventures.
Somers died “peacefully at home” surrounded by her family on Oct. 15, one day before her 77th birthday, according to a statement to NBC News from Somers’ rep on behalf of her family.
Suzanne Somers’ Cause of Death
Suzanne Somers’ cause of death was breast cancer, her daughter-in-law, Caroline Somers, told The New York Times.
Somers’ representative confirmed in a statement to NBC News that the actor “had been a survivor of aggressive breast cancer for more than 23 years.”
Somers, who was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000, shared about a recent breast cancer relapse in an Instagram post in July 2023.
In a separate statement, a representative for Somers told NBC News that the actress was dealing with other unspecified health issues when she learned that her cancer had returned in 2023, but that she was cancer-free at that time.
Here’s what we know about Somers’ health history over the years.
Uterine Hyperplasia
Somers’ health struggles began in her 20s. In an interview with CBS News Los Angeles, Somers said she “had cancer three times” when she played Chrissy on “Three’s Company” in the 1970s. “They called it severe uterine hyperplasia. I didn’t make a big deal out of it,” Somers told CBS News.
Uterine hyperplasia, known as endometrial hyperplasia, occurs when the lining of the uterus (endometrium) becomes too thick, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Some types of endometrial hyperplasia can lead to cancer, including endometrial cancer and uterine cancer.
Melanoma
Somers also battled skin cancer when she was younger. “In my 30s, I had malignant melanoma on my back,” Somers told CBS News in the same interview.
Melanoma is a serious type of skin cancer that occurs when the cells that produce the pigment that gives skin its color (melanocytes) grow out of control, according to the American Cancer Society.
Melanoma is less common than other types of skin cancer, but it is more dangerous because it can spread to other parts of the body more easily, TODAY.com previously reported. Treatments may include surgery, radiation therapy, immunotherapy and chemotherapy.
Breast Cancer
Somers was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000. The actress went public with her diagnosis in a 2001 interview on Larry King Live. Somers told King that doctors discovered the cancer after a routine mammogram in April 2000 and that she had been treated for a year at that point.
The actress initially underwent a lumpectomy and radiation to treat her breast cancer, but declined chemotherapy, the Associated Press reported.
In 2007, Somers told the Los Angeles Times that she was cancer-free and undergoing hormone therapy.
More than a decade later, Somers updated fans about her ongoing battle with breast cancer in July 2023. On Instagram, Somers revealed that her cancer had returned but that she was once again cancer-free.
“As you know, I had breast cancer two decades ago and it comes back from time to time and I continue to fight it,” Somers wrote in the caption. “I have used the best alternative and conventional treatments to fight this disease. This is not new territory for me. I know how to dress for battle and I am a fighter.”
“As one of the millions of cancer patients, we try our best to let this terrible disease not control us. I find joy in every day,” Somers said in a separate statement to NBC News at the time.
“It was a recurrence of my breast cancer. Like any cancer patient, when you get that dreaded, ‘It’s back,’ you get that sinking feeling in your stomach. Then I put on my gear and go to war. This is a familiar battlefield for me and I’m strong.”
Hip and neck fracture surgeries
In 2020, Somers underwent two separate surgeries to treat injuries to her hip and neck.
In an exclusive interview in June 2020, Somers told People, “I had something happen to me this year that I’ve never had before—I broke my hip.” The injury occurred when Somers jumped off a private tram to her home in Palm Springs, which suddenly stopped and became stuck halfway up the hill. “I had no choice but to jump. It was dark and undergoing neck surgery.
A private family burial for Somers will take place this week, and a memorial is set for next month, the family said in a statement.
