Published May 28, 2024

Actor Michael Landon, Who Died From Pancreatic Cancer, ‘Spurred’ Her Love For Acting, Says Shannen Doherty: ‘He Taught Me So Much’

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Understanding the 'Silent Disease' - Pancreatic Cancer

Shannen Doherty is looking back on how she acted as the sweet Jenny Wilder on the iconic show “Little House On The Prairie” with late actor and heartthrob Landon, who died at age 54 from pancreatic cancer, and how he “spurred” her love for acting.
Pancreatic cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the pancreas. It can be challenging to treat because symptoms usually don’t present themselves until the cancer has spread or metastasized. Symptoms may include unexplained weight loss, back pain, jaundice, and pain in the abdomen.
According to research published in the World Journal of Clinical Cases, pancreatic cancer “has the lowest 5-year survival rate” largely because of a lack of serological markers for screening, aggressive local invasion, the tendency to spread, resistance to chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, and late diagnosis.

Shannen Doherty, known for her acting accolades in “Charmed” and “Beverly Hills, 90210,” has commended late actor Michael Landon, who passed away from advanced pancreatic cancer 33 years ago, for “spurring” her love for acting.

Doherty, who has been battling stage 4 (metastatic) breast cancer since 2019 and revealed last year that the disease had spread to her brain, spoke about Landon’s influence to her mom in her most recent podcast episode of “Let’s Be Clear with Shannen Doherty.”

The 53-year-old Tennessee native said the 1974 American Drama Series “Little House on the Prairie,” ultimately “shaped me in so many ways and it still is the best experience of my entire career.”

Doherty acted as the sweet Jenny Wilder on the iconic show with late actor and heartthrob Landon, who died at age 54 from pancreatic cancer, just three months after announcing his diagnosis in 1991.

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Looking back on what inspired her acting career, Doherty told her mom, “It’s kind of amazing because, when I think about the long span of my career, but also how rough some jobs were and unenjoyable to be a part of, a little bit toxic … it was really the experience on Little House that spurred that passion on for being an actor.

“It was having a mentor like Michael Landon. And I don’t care what anybody else’s experience was like, I know the truth about that man, and he was just unbelievable.”

Further praising Landon, whom she described as “so funny, and so witty, and so smart,” Doherty said he was “so, so talented, so kind, so considerate, and it really helped shape me. And he was incredibly caring for my entire family.”

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Rosa added in, “Fortunately, when you started working for Michael Landon and his crew, the teachers were excellent and he told me from the beginning, he said to me, ‘You as a parent have to be satisfied with your child’s education and if you see something, or if there is something that troubles you … you as a parent have the right to go to the producer and say we need this.’

“And he was just wonderful.”

Doherty noted that she first worked with Landon in the early 1980s while working on “Father Murphy,” her first TV role, which led her to later be picked to work on “Little House on the Prairie,” starting in it’s ninth season.

She previously took to Instagram to share an adorable photo of herself acting in “Little House,” writing, “Father Murphy. My first job with the amazing Michael Landon producing.

“We worked in Tucson, Arizona in 100 degree plus weather wearing buckskins and I loved every minute. It remains one of my fondest memories. Michael soon after cast me in Little House New Beginnings where I had the privilege of him directing me many times.”

Michael Landon’s Cancer Diagnosis

Michael Landon’s pancreatic cancer had spread to his liver and was inoperable at the time of diagnosis.

And although he received chemotherapy treatment, his prognosis was grim. Nevertheless, the handsome actor, who entered stardom through NBC TV show “Bonanza” (1959-1973), handled the diagnosis with humor and grace.

“I think you have to have a sense of humor about everything,” Landon said at a 1991 press conference. “I don’t find this particularly funny, but if you’re going to try to go on, you’re going to try to beat something, you’re not going to do it standing in the corner.”

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Landon, who, as a male, has the second most TV Guide magazine covers after late talk show host Johnny Carson.

One of Landon’s last shows was starring on the series he created, “Highway to Heaven,” from 1984-1989. He played an angel who had died 40 years ago but came back to do God’s work.

“I was driving through Beverly Hills to pick up my kids on a Friday night, and people were honking at each other,” Landon recalled to the L.A. Times in 1988, on how he came up with the concept.

“There is no worse place for that than Beverly Hills; I think when people have a little bit more money, they really believe that the Red Sea will part and their car will go forward. And I thought, ‘Why is everybody so angry? If they would just spend that same time being nice. It’s obvious the flow of traffic is going to go much better if everybody has his opportunity.'”

The actor never won an Emmy (or was even nominated), but he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1995 posthumously, finally getting the recognition he deserved after 30 years in television.

Landon, who was married three times, is survived by his wife Cindy, who was with him at his bedside when he died, and nine children from his three marriages.

“He was laughing and making jokes up until the last minute,” Cindy, now 67, said after Landon’s passing. “There was never self-pity for himself, there was never anger. He was always upbeat.”

Pancreatic Cancer and its Ability to Go Unnoticed

Pancreatic cancer usually does not present noticeable symptoms until the cancer has already metastasized (spread) to other parts of the body.

Although pancreatic cancer survival rates have been improving, it’s still considered to be largely incurable. An exception to this is if the tumor is still small enough and localized enough to be operated on.

WATCH: Why Pancreatic Cancer is Hard to Treat

While pancreatic cancer may not present symptoms early on, it’s still crucial to be aware of signs of the disease. The National Cancer Institute identifies the following symptoms:

Dark urine
Pain in the abdomen
Unexplained weight loss
Light-colored stools
Loss of appetite and fatigue

Treatment options for pancreatic cancer may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy.

Immunotherapy Offers Hope for Pancreatic Cancer Patients

Immunotherapy is the process of activating a patient’s immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. These treatment options could be advantageous for patients who catch pancreatic cancer in its early stages.

A study funded by the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy combined two immunotherapy drugs with chemotherapy and found that some patients experienced either a shrinking of tumors or a slowing of their progression.

Sometimes Bad Things Happen — Enjoying Life, Even With Cancer

“Until now, immunotherapy hasn’t had a big role,” Dr. Allyson Ocean, Medical Oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian, told SurvivorNet. “Now this study combines two immunotherapy drugs with frontline standard chemotherapy, and we’re seeing response rates significantly better than what was published with other chemotherapies alone.”

Researchers Jai Hoon, Ye-Ji Jung, and Sung-Hoon Moon studied immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer. They said despite the hope immunotherapy offers for various cancer types, it is not currently the standard of care for pancreatic cancer.

“Only anti-PD-1 antibodies have been approved by the United States FDA for patients with pancreatic cancer who have tested positive for microsatellite instability. Combination therapies with other immunotherapeutic agents, targeted therapies, stroma-modulating agents, chemotherapy, or multi-way combination therapies may provide treatment opportunities for patients with pancreatic cancer,” the researchers said.

Dr. Allyson Ocean On Why Pancreatic Cancer Is So Hard To Treat

Immunotherapy does not work for all patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Still, the advances presented in this study and others over the past few years give those facing this disease much hope.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

If you are facing a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, you may have questions but are unsure how to get the answers you need. SurvivorNet suggests asking your doctor the following to kickstart your journey to more solid answers.

What type of pancreatic cancer do I have?
Has my cancer spread beyond my pancreas? If so, where has it spread, and what is the stage of the disease?
What is my prognosis?
What are my treatment options?
What side effects should I expect after undergoing treatment?

The Power of Positivity and Good Mental Health

SurvivorNet experts say, in some cases, a positive attitude may improve your prognosis. It’s evident Doherty, who is battling metastatic breast cancer, has maintained an optimistic outlook during her cancer journey so it certainly seems this outlook amid disease can help.

Doherty first received a breast cancer diagnosis in 2015 after she discovered a lump in her breast. For treatments the first time around, she underwent hormone therapy, a single mastectomy (the removal of all breast tissue from one breast), chemotherapy and radiation.

Then in 2017, Doherty was deemed to be in remission, however, the cancer returned just two years later in 2019 as metastatic, or stage four, breast cancer.

There is technically no cure for metastatic breast cancer, but that doesn’t mean people can’t live good, long lives with this stage of disease, thanks to hormone therapy, chemotherapy, targeted drugs and immunotherapy, as well as a combination of treatments.

Doherty took to Instagram last year to recap how her cancer fight is going. She underwent her first round of radiation to her head on Jan. 12, 2023, followed by brain surgery to remove and biopsy a tumor on Jan. 16, 2023. The surgery she underwent is called a craniotomy.

Several neurosurgeons tell SurvivorNet that the procedure can allow patients with cancer in their brain to live longer, more vibrant lives, and this appears to be the case with Doherty who has recently been living her life to the fullest as she insists she’s “not done with living.”

Regardless of what Doherty has been through, her resilience and optimistic attitude is certainly empowering.

WATCH: What Kind of Patients Will Maintain a Positive Attitude After a Cancer Diagnosis?

“A positive attitude is really important,” says Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

If you have just been diagnosed with cancer, negative feelings are normal, and remember, men and women react differently. Anger, shame, fear, anxiety. It’s to be expected.

Experienced doctors will tell you that people who find a way to work through their emotions and stay positive do end up doing better.

Dr. Charmain Jackman is a licensed psychologist and founder of InnoPsych. She echoes SurvivorNet experts on the benefits of positive mental health while facing a health diagnosis.

“In the face of a life-threatening diagnosis, fear, hopelessness, and despair can quickly take space in your mind. However, your mindset is a superpower and can be a potent antidote to illness. Practicing gratitude, cultivating joy, and connecting to the community are practical ways to develop a resilient mindset,” Dr. Jackman said.