LOS ANGELES, July 16: Shannen Doherty’s oncologist, Dr. Lawrence D. Piro, has revealed details about the beloved actress's heartbreaking final moments. The “Beverly Hills, 90210” star passed away at the age of 53 on Saturday after a prolonged battle with cancer. In an interview with People, Dr. Piro described Doherty's last hours as “sad” and “beautiful.”

“In the last few hours, she was in a place where she was very comfortable and sleeping and transitioning, and she was surrounded by some of her very close friends,” Dr. Piro shared. “The room was surrounded by a select group of friends that were giving her a lot of care and support. It was somber and sad, but beautiful and loving.”

Dr. Piro also reflected on Doherty's love for life, saying, “The hardest thing about this was that she wasn’t ready to leave because she loved life.”

Doherty was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, undergoing a mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation. She achieved remission in 2017, but in February 2020, she revealed that she had Stage 4 breast cancer. On the June 24 episode of her “Let’s Be Clear” podcast, Doherty spoke about her decision to undergo another round of chemotherapy. “I’m having to go back on chemo and it’s really hard,” she said at the time. “The idea of going through that all over again has wrecked me.”

Discussing Doherty’s relentless fight against her illness, Dr. Piro mentioned, “We kept going until we couldn’t go any more.” He recounted their last conversation, saying, “She was in the process of realizing that things had taken a pretty significant turn. The conversation was about love and support and caring and still fighting through. She wanted to continue to take treatment and fight through, even though her physical condition had taken a bit of a downturn. And so we did.”

Despite the limited options available, Doherty remained resolute. “That wasn’t even open for discussion, because that’s not how Shannen lived. She was an incredible warrior in everything she did,” Dr. Piro added.

Doherty’s death was confirmed by her longtime publicist, Leslie Sloane, on Sunday. “It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty,” Sloane stated. “On Saturday, July 13, she lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease. The devoted daughter, sister, aunt, and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie. The family asks for their privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace.”

Following her death, Doherty was remembered fondly by fans and friends, including several of her “Beverly Hills, 90210” co-stars.