Valerie Harper: "I am not absolutely cancer-free"

Valerie Harper has blasted a magazine article quoting her as saying that she's "absolutely cancer-free."

The 74-year-old actress, who was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in January 2013, released a statement, saying, "In response to a recent erroneous quote concerning my health, I am not 'absolutely cancer-free.' I wish I were. Right now what I am is cautiously optimistic about my present condition and I have hope for the future."

Closer Weekly ran an exclusive report on Wednesday quoting Harper as saying, "I'm absolutely cancer-free!...My last scans have been positive, and my doctors are very happy."

She later clarified things in a follow-up statement with the magazine on Thursday, explaining: "While speaking to the reporter for Closer Weekly, I was relaying a story where my doctor had told me that in his 30 year practice, I was the only Lepto patient he has seen without other cancers already present."

She added, "I had just had my yearly full-body scan to determine if this sneaky cancer had migrated to other parts of my body. Therefore, in completing that part of the story, I told the reporter with excitement that I was cancer-free, but what I meant to say was that my full body scan revealed that I was still thankfully cancer free."

Harper went on to say that although the Lepto has not spread, she's not cured, noting, "I am a cancer patient, and I continue to fight with the hope that a cure may be just around the corner."

Harper will appear on Hallmark Channel's new original series, "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," which premieres Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.

Following her diagnosis last year, Harper competed on season 17 of "Dancing with the Stars."