Loni Anderson’s cause of death was a rare cancer; here’s how uncommon it is

Loni Anderson's cause of death was revealed nearly three weeks after the twice Emmy-nominated star of WKRP in Cincinnati passed away on August 3 in Los Angeles. She was about to turn 80 on Aug. 5.

According to the death certificate acquired by TMZ, the veteran actress passed away from metastatic uterine leiomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer that typically begins in the uterus and can spread to other areas of the body, particularly the lungs and liver, often leading to life-threatening complications, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders.

There were no other contributing factors listed in Anderson's death, and the death certificate indicates that her remains were cremated and buried in Hollywood on Aug. 7, as per the People.


Her longtime publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan, told Deadline at the time that Anderson died as a result of “an acute prolonged illness.

Anderson is best known for her role as Jennifer Marlowe on the CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, which aired for four seasons from 1978 to 1982.

She received three Golden Globe nominations and two Emmy nominations for her work on the series.

Later, she went on to star in the 1983 race car comedy Stroker Ace.

How rare is metastatic uterine leiomyosarcoma?

According to a case report published in the National Library of Medicine, uterine leiomyosarcomas account for 2 per cent to 5 per cent of all uterine cancers, with an annual incidence rate of 0.35 to 0.64 per 100,000 women.

These tumors are associated with a poor prognosis, and distant metastases may be present in up to 81.4 per cent of patients, most commonly affecting the lungs.

Investigation and treatment

The case report also says that the diagnostic challenges of leiomyosarcomas, particularly in premenopausal women, are significant. Due to their similar clinical presentations, uterine leiomyosarcomas are often misdiagnosed as common uterine leiomyomas, affecting up to 80 per cent of women.

The most reliable pre-operative investigations for leiomyosarcomas are MRI combined with elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels.

Despite advancements in MRI, distinguishing between leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas remains challenging due to overlapping radiological features.