William Shatner has opened up on being told he was going to die of a terminal disease.
In his memoir Live Long and… What I Learned Along the Way, the 92-year-old Star Trek icon reflected back on his impressive life and career – including the terrifying moment he was told he had terminal cancer.
In 2016, the star was diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer.
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He writes in his book: “I was told by a doctor I had a terminal disease. That I was going to die.
“I didn’t know how to react to this news. This truly was my funeral we were talking about.”
(Image: Getty Images for SXSW)
Shatner was only diagnosed by chance – while reading a magazine, he learned about a PSA test, which is said to evaluate the levels of proteins in the bloodstream which cancer cells give off.
However, the extremely sensitive test can lead to overdiagnosis.
At the same time, Shatner’s wife Elizabeth got the PSA test and was diagnosed with cervical cancer – leading to a “month of near hysteria”.
But more thorough tests found nothing – with doctors informing the pair that the PSA was simply too sensitive.
(Image: Getty Images)
However, William’s physician informed him he was battling an “aggressive cancer”, convincing him it was the end.
He wrote: “My initial reactions to the diagnosis were, I suppose, quite common: denial, fear, anger – as well as a dose of being insulted.
“I have lived a long life, but I certainly wasn’t ready for it to end. I decided I wasn’t going gentle into that good night.”
Instead, the star decided to research more about his condition, and stopped taking testosterone supplements which have been linked to the disease.
(Image: Redferns)
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Three months later, he took another PSA test – which showed his levels had dropped.
It seems the diagnosis had been caused by a combination of the sensitive PSA test and his elevated levels from additional testosterone.
“As the cancer specialists explained to Elizabeth and me, we get cancer cells all the time and usually your body eats them up.
“The body gets cancer all the time and eliminates it, but that [PSA] test is so sensitive it picked up the hint of it and combined with the PSA reading convinced me I was dying.”
He added: “I was thrilled to learn I did not have cancer. I’m back to not dying. At least right away.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
