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Kirstie Alley battled colon cancer before her death at age 71, according to rep

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A representative for Kirstie Alley said the actress had colon cancer prior to her death on Monday at age 71, People is reporting.

According to the actress’ children, True Parker and Lillie Parker, their “incredible, fierce and loving mother” had “only recently discovered” she had cancer.

“She was surrounded by her closest family and fought with great strength, leaving us with a certainty of her never-ending joy of living and whatever adventures lie ahead. As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother,” they said in a statement issued after her death.

They two also noted in the statement that Alley had been receiving treatment at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa.

Colorectal cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and in women in the United States, and the second most common cause of cancer deaths when numbers for men and women are combined, the American Cancer Society said on its website.

It’s expected to cause 52,580 deaths in 2022.

The symptoms of colorectal cancer include:

  • A change in bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation, or narrowing of the stool, that lasts for more than a few days.
  • A feeling that you need to have a bowel movement that’s not relieved by having one.
  • Rectal bleeding with bright red blood.
  • Blood in the stool, which might make the stool look dark brown or black.
  • Cramping or abdominal (belly) pain.
  • Weakness and fatigue.
  • Unintended weight loss.

Alley earned a Golden Globe for best actress and an Emmy for outstanding lead actress for her role on “Cheers” in 1991.

She won a second Emmy for her portrayal of Sally Goodson in “David’s Mother” in 1994. She also appeared on television in shows such as “Veronica’s Closet” (1997-2000), “Fat Actress” (2005), “Kirstie” (2013-2014), and “Scream Queens” (2015-2016).

She was also in movies including “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” (1982), “Summer School” (1987), “Look Who’s Talking” (1989) and its sequels, and “Drop Dead Gorgeous” (1999).