Soap opera star reveals cancer diagnosis, break from long-running show

Actress Suzanne Rogers, known for her decades-long stint on the soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” has revealed her cancer diagnosis, according to TV Insider.

During an interview with TV Insider, the actress shared that she was recently diagnosed with Stage 2 colorectal cancer, explaining her recent absence from “Days of Our Lives.”

Rogers said she was diagnosed after deciding to set up a doctor’s appointment because she felt something “wasn’t quite right,” according to TV Insider.

“He said, ‘You have cancer and you have to start treatment,’” Rogers told TV Insider. “It was all a shock. I mean, I think I was in a shock for several days because I take pretty good care of myself. But he said, ‘It’s a good thing you caught it in time.’”

The actress filmed her final episode of “Days of Our Lives” on June 13 before beginning a six-week daily chemotherapy treatment, according to Parade.

“The biggest thing is that I was tired because that’s not like me,” Rogers explained to TV Insider. “I have a lot of energy all the time, so it really kind of shook me thinking, ‘Am I going to get my energy back?’ And it seems like it’s coming back. It’s not 100% yet, but I feel better. Today I feel really good, and that’s happening more and more than the other way around, so I’m really happy about that.”

Rogers has been playing Maggie Horton on “Days of Our Lives” since 1973, starring in more than 3,200 episode of the show, according to Decider.

“Days of Our Lives” records episode 10 months before release, so fans of the show won’t see Rogers’ absence until next year. Rogers plans to return, though an official return date has not been officially announced, according to TV Insider.