Suzanne Somers' cause of death revealed

The cause of Suzanne Summers' death has been revealed.

of Three's Company The actress passed away at 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 15, after breast cancer spread throughout her body, PEOPLE confirms.

A death certificate obtained by The Blast listed Summers' immediate cause of death as “breast cancer with metastases to the brain,” a finding confirmed by a biopsy.

An autopsy was not performed, but the medical certificate reportedly also listed hypertension, or hydrocephalus, as an additional underlying condition that led to her death.

According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, hydrocephalus is a condition in which “excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) accumulates in the fluid-containing cavities of the brain or ventricles,” causing “harmful pressure on brain tissue.” Summers' death certificate indicated that the actress had suffered from hydrocephalus for more than a year.

Three days after his death, Summers was buried at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City during a ceremony conducted by a funeral home in Palm Springs, California, The Blast reported, citing the death certificate.

Earlier this month, Summers spokesperson R. Khouri Hay confirmed her death to PEOPLE. She was 76 years old.

“Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home early on October 15th. She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for more than 23 years,” Hay said in a statement to People on behalf of the actress' family. mentioned in.

“Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband Alan, her son Bruce and her immediate family,” the statement continued. “Her family came together to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16th. In return, they celebrated her extraordinary life and thanked the millions of people who loved her dearly. I would like to thank my fans and followers.”

of step by step The actress has been very open about her health struggles over the years, including being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000. She also experienced several other forms of cancer throughout her life.

“Saying the words 'I have breast cancer' out loud in public shook my soul,” Summers told PEOPLE in 2001.

When she was first diagnosed, she and her husband, Alan Hamel, were silent and in disbelief: “I can't believe this. This can't be happening. Is this just a blip or is this the end of my life?” And we hardly spoke. she remembered.

Summers said in 2007: Los Angeles Times After treating her cancer with radiation, tumor removal, and alternative medicine, she was said to be cancer-free. However, the actress revealed in a July 2023 Instagram post that her breast cancer had returned.

Alongside a photo of herself and Ms Hamel, 87, she wrote: “As you know, I had breast cancer 20 years ago and am still battling it, with occasional recurrences. There are also conventional treatments to combat it. ”

“This is not new territory for me,” she continued. “I know how to wear combat gear, and I'm a fighter.”

Following the news of her death, Summers' publicist shared with PEOPLE a poem Hamel wrote for his wife, which he gave her the day before her death.

Part of the poem, written in all capital letters, read: There is no version of the word that applies to Suzanne. The closest version in words is even closer. That's not even a fraction of it. ”

“We've been together for 55 years, married for 46, and we haven't been apart for an hour for 42 of those years. And it still doesn't work. Going to bed at 6 o'clock and holding hands while we sleep doesn't work. .A beautiful face while sleeping is useless,” he continued. “There are no words. There are no actions. There are no promises. There are no declarations. We are one. I love you, my beautiful Suzanne, forever.”

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Following her death, in addition to her husband, Summers' former co-stars, including Patrick Duffy and Joy DeWitt, and her son Bruce also paid tribute to her.