(NEXSTAR) – A cause of death for comedy legend Catherine O’Hara has been released, according to reports.
The death certificate, first obtained by TMZ, as well as The Associated Press, Rolling Stone, and PEOPLE, reported that O’Hara’s cause of death was listed as pulmonary embolism. Rectal cancer was listed as an underlying cause of the embolism.
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According to The Associated Press, the oncologist who signed off on the certificate indicated that he had been treating O’Hara since March of last year, and last saw her on Jan. 27.
O’Hara died in January at a hospital in Santa Monica, California, after experiencing a “brief illness,” her representatives said, Nexstar’s KTLA reported. They did not provide any additional details.
The document released Monday said O’Hara was cremated.
She was 71.
What is a pulmonary embolism?
A pulmonary embolism is a blood clot in the lung, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The clot, which forms in another part of the body and travels to the lung, can block blood flow and oxygen. A pulmonary embolism can cause heart or lung damage, the healthcare provider says.
Catherine O’Hara arrives at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
“About 33% of people with a pulmonary embolism die before they get a diagnosis and treatment,” the Cleveland Clinic writes. If diagnosed and treated quickly, it “is seldom fatal.”
O’Hara had rare condition impacting heart
Catherine O’Hara previously discussed being born with situs inversus, a rare genetic condition that put her heart on the opposite side of her chest, Nexstar’s WJW reported earlier this month.
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According to the Cleveland Clinic, the condition can impact organs within the chest and belly. O’Hara explained in 2020 that she had dextrocardia, meaning her heart pointed toward the right side of her chest and her other organs were flipped.
Situs inversus is usually harmless, but it can be associated with other complications and conditions, the Cleveland Clinic explains. However, the healthcare company said providers can treat the symptoms of another related “defect or condition.”
What is rectal cancer?
Rectal cancer occurs when a growth, known as a polyp, forms in the rectum, the Mayo Clinic explains.
It can be detected during the same screening process as colon cancer (when a polyp grows on the inner lining of the colon), but it is treated differently. Dr. Eric Dozois, a Mayo Clinic colon and rectal surgeon, previously explained that “more aggressive treatments” are typical in treating rectal cancer to “help prevent it from coming back.”
That can include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, among other options, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The American Cancer Society estimates that nearly 50,000 new cases of rectal cancer — more than 28,700 in men and 21,200 in women — will be diagnosed this year. Colorectal cancer, which includes colon and rectal cancers, causes the third-most cancer-related deaths among men and the fourth-most among women. About 55,000 deaths this year are projected to be caused by colorectal cancer.
Among people under the age of 50, however, colorectal cancer now causes the most cancer-related deaths in the U.S., a recent study found.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
