Cheers star Kirstie Alley died after battling with a disease that she just ‘recently discovered’.

The 71-year-old legend’s representatives told PEOPLE on Tuesday that the actress had colon cancer, which is known as a ‘silent killer’ as signs and symptoms usually take longer to appear than other types of the disease.

According to reports, she had been getting treatment at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa.

Colon cancer is also known as a silent killer most of the time, there are no symptoms until a person is already beyond a cure.

The symptoms patients may experience include abdominal pain, weight loss, blood in the stool, and a change in bowel habits – including constipation, diarrhea, or a change in consistency of the stool.

But if patients have these symptoms, the disease may have already advanced as most people with colon cancer experience no symptoms in the early stages.

Only one-third of patients are diagnosed in stage 1 – when the disease is still 90 percent curable.

It is not clear what stage Kirstie’s cancer had progressed to.

Her grieving family said in a statement posted on social media: “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.”

John Travolta also took to social media to pay tribute to the actress.

“Kirstie was one of the most special relationships I’ve ever had. I love you Kirstie. I know we will see each other again,” he said.

Kirstie led a great life off-camera. She also committed herself to the Church of Scientology.

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