Beloved '80s Sitcom Stars Who Faced Cancer Decades Later

In 2013, Angelina Jolie made waves by opening up about her experience getting a preventative double mastectomy in a New York Times op-ed piece. Jolie explained that she had made the decision because she carried the BRCA1 gene and encouraged others to undergo testing as well. According to a 2018 study in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, there was a marked increase in genetic testing and preventive double mastectomies for women who did not have breast or ovarian cancer following the op-ed's publication. The study also found that the op-ed proved most influential for women whose breast cancers were in situ, which is the most curable. 

Jolie isn't the only celebrity to have influenced public understanding about cancer. A 2005 study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that one-fourth of 360 women in their 40s and 140 men in their 50s were more likely to undergo a mammography, PSA, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy due to a celebrity endorsement. 

However, in a press release, the study's co-authors cautioned that the influence wasn't without its caveats. "Emotional messages from highly engaging personalities may jeopardize a patient's ability to make an informed decision that best reflects how they personally value the tradeoffs involved," said Dr. Robin Larson, instructor in medicine at DMS. The authors believed that celebrities should be informants for testing and not persuaders. 

Over the years, we have seen many '80s sitcom stars play the role of an informant rather than a persuader — though one star from the era arguably demonstrated the caveats of celebrity influence in the health space by being a proponent of alternative medication for cancer.

During a January 2020 CBS interview, Suzanne Somers revealed that she had been diagnosed with cancer three times when she was on "Three's Company." Additionally, in her 30s, doctors had also discovered a malignant melanoma or skin cancer on her back. Then, when she appeared on "Larry King Live" in 2001, Somers shared that doctors had found a cancerous lump in her breast in 2000. At the time, she had gotten radiation therapy but had no intentions of getting chemotherapy because she wanted to try homeopathic medicine. 

During a 2007 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Somers proudly shared that she was cancer-free. In her 2008 book "Knockout," the "Step by Step" star revealed that doctors had once mistakenly told her that her cancer had spread to all parts of her body. "I went into that valley of fear. I saw my death, it was horrible," she wrote of her reaction to the misdiagnosis. The book notably stirred controversy in the medical community because it advocated for alternative therapy for cancer in lieu of chemotherapy. In the following years, Suzanne Somers' complicated history with breast cancer sadly continued. 

In July 2023, the entrepreneur took to Instagram to share that she had once again been diagnosed with breast cancer. In an additional statement shared with Entertainment Tonight, Somers wrote that although her heart had dropped every time she had heard the dreaded news, she had still powered through and quickly began to mentally prepare for treatment. In October 2023, 76-year-old Somer passed away. Suzanne Somer's cause of death was listed as "breast cancer with metastasis to the brain," per The Blast. 

Speaking to People in 2017, Mindy Cohn, who played Natalie Green in "The Facts of Life," shared that she heard alarm bells going off in her mind when she felt too fatigued to continue a casual stroll around her neighborhood in 2012. Following a few tests, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Over the next five years, Cohn had to undergo a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation. The '80s sitcom alum confessed that her optimism took a major hit after her cancer returned and metastasized during treatment. 

After saying that she constantly found herself worrying about when the next bout of bad news would arrive, Cohn admitted, "I was frustrated and enraged. I couldn't control any of this. I couldn't fix it." She also took a hiatus from Hollywood to focus on her treatment. However, she eventually became cancer-free and only chose to open up about her diagnosis with the world when she felt ready. In the meantime, she relied on Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge, the couple from "The Fabulous Beekman Boys," for support.

Moving forward, Cohn was excited to trek to Machu Picchu and land more acting gigs. Unfortunately, her journey with cancer didn't end there. Following a month-long social media break, the "What's New, Scooby-Doo" voice actor took to Instagram in April 2026 to share a health update, writing, "[I] have been off social media for awhile ' cuz i had to go kick cancer's a**." After thanking her team of doctors and nurses, Cohn wrote, "Recouping for another couple of weeks and then ready for my next adventure. onwards! F**K Cancer!"

Valerie Harper's health journey is yet another testament to the fact that you can get lung cancer even if you have never smoked. Speaking to AARP Magazine in September 2013, the "Rhoda" star shared that she had undergone surgery to remove a malignant tumor from her lung in 2009. After becoming cancer-free, the non-smoker chose to keep her diagnosis under wraps for the following years. While she was in the middle of her rehearsals for Broadway's "Looped" in 2013, she randomly had trouble recollecting her lines and found it difficult to speak. 

After a hospital visit, doctors learned that she had terminal brain cancer. In a March 2013 People interview, the "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" alum shared that she had only been given three months to live. Harper stressed that she didn't let her mind get preoccupied with thoughts of death and instead focused on living in the moment. However, her prognosis didn't prove to be true by a long shot. Speaking to Fox News in September 2017, "The Hogan Family" star addressed her health, saying, "Now it's five years instead of three months... And the thing is, everyone is going to die in one way or another. So why don't you fight it? I'm going to fight this. I'm going to see a way." 

In a July 2019 statement shared on Facebook, Harper's husband, Tony Cacciotti, shared that he had refused to put her on hospice care and remained her primary caretaker to honor their 40-year marital commitment to each other. Harper passed away in the following month at the age of 80.

During a November 2024 appearance on "Today," Dave Coulier, who played Uncle Joey in "Full House," shared that he had found a small lump around his groin area shortly after he had fallen sick. After a few tests, doctors discovered that he had stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which is a type of blood cancer. At first, the comedian was understandably worried about his late-stage diagnosis. However, Coulier's worries were greatly eased upon learning that the cancer still had a 90% curability rate. 

Even so, the prospect of undergoing chemotherapy was still incredibly daunting for him. Before going into his first appointment, he had shaved his hair. Then, during a 2025 appearance on "Today," Coulier stated that chemotherapy had been "grueling." However, the treatment had been successful in curing his blood cancer. Unfortunately, he wasn't out of the woods just yet, as he was diagnosed with early-stage tongue cancer through a follow-up PET scan. As part of his treatment, the comedian had to undergo 35 rounds of radiation. 

Coulier also opened up about how receiving two cancer diagnoses in such a short span had affected him, saying, "It's emotional. It's psychologically draining. It's also a big drain to my wife, Melissa, which is the biggest drain on me, seeing how this affects her." Still, he looked forward to finishing his radiation on New Year's Eve 2025. While appearing on "Good Morning America" in February 2026, Coulier happily revealed that both his cancers were in remission. He also notably used the spotlight to encourage people to get regular exams that could help diagnose cancers.

In a January 2011 YouTube video for UCLA Health, Charlotte Rae (Edna Garrett from "The Facts of Life") shared that she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2009. At the time, Rae notably had no symptoms but had undergone a routine scan because she had a family history of cancer. Further testing revealed that her cancer hadn't spread but was rapidly growing. Speaking to Ability Magazine, Rae revealed that her treatment involved six months of chemotherapy as well as surgery to remove the tumor and her spleen. 

The "Diff'rent Strokes" star also admitted that she had calmed her pre-surgery nerves with the help of a hypnotist, who helped fill her mind with positive thoughts. With the treatment plan, Rae eventually became cancer-free. During an April 2017 interview with People, Rae said that people hadn't noticed that she had lost her hair during the treatment because she had worn some wonderful wigs. The then-91-year-old also revealed that she had been diagnosed with bone cancer. 

At the time, Rae was unsure if she wanted to undergo treatment or peacefully live out the remainder of her days. However, she was leaning toward treatment because she didn't face any adverse side effects the first time around. "I've had a great life, but I have so many wonderful things happening," Rae said. "I'd like to chose [sic] life. I'm grateful for the life I've already had." In August 2018, Rae passed away at the age of 92. According to the New York Times, her son, Larry Strauss, shared that her death could be chalked up to numerous causes, including bone cancer and illnesses like multiple heart failures.