‘Ghostbusters’ Star and Two-Time Cancer Survivor Ernie Hudson, 79, Still ‘Looking Awesome’ As Fans Praise the Soon-to-Be Octogenarian – Life After Cancer
‘Ghostbusters’ Star and Two-Time Cancer Survivor Ernie Hudson, 79, Still ‘Looking Awesome’ As Fans Praise the Soon-to-Be Octogenarian – Life After Cancer
At 79, “Ghostbusters” star Ernie Hudson continues to inspire with his ageless presence and enduring vitality. Behind his charm is a two-time cancer survivor who’s faced rectal and prostate cancer.
One of Hudson’s keys to longevity is prioritizing his health. “The most important thing for me is just to try to maintain your health—just common-sense stuff,” the star said.
Hudson was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1998 and rectal cancer in 2011. He credits his ability to beat both cancers to routine screening for catching the cancers early, followed by treatment. He says he is “cancer-free” today.
For many patients, the differences between prostate cancer treatment options — such as surgery, radiation, or hormone therapy — can be subtle. But those nuances matter, especially when side effects impact daily life.
Dr. James Ryan Mark, a urologic oncologist at Fox Chase, urges patients to weigh the benefits and trade-offs of each treatment option carefully.
One common combination for aggressive prostate cancer is radiation therapy paired with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), also called hormone therapy, which suppresses testosterone to slow cancer growth.
“Not all men sustain that big of an improvement,” from radiation paired with hormone therapy, Dr. Mark says, adding that “if you’re older, taking out your testosterone can really affect your muscle strength and vitality.”
At 79, actor Ernie Hudson continues to defy expectations—not just with his timeless charm, but with the quiet strength of a man who’s faced cancer twice and come out thriving.
Best known for his iconic role in “Ghostbusters,” Hudson’s recent appearance on the talk show “Sherri” to promote his latest project, “Boston Blue,” sparked a wave of admiration online.
Fans marveled at the near-octogenarian’s youthful presence, with one Instagram user declaring, “Ernie out here looking well moisturized, well hydrated, and minding his own business. Yes sir! This is a whole new twist on 80!”
But Hudson’s glow isn’t just skin deep. Behind the ageless exterior is a man who’s survived both rectal and prostate cancer, raised four children, and built a career on-screen. One of his keys to success is prioritizing his health.
Left to right: Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson (background), and Bill Murray in a scene from the film ‘Ghostbusters’, directed by Ivan Reitman, 1984. (Photo by Columbia Pictures/Getty Images)
According to the National Cancer Institute, rectal cancer forms in the tissues of the rectum. This type of cancer shares common symptoms associated with colorectal cancer, which include changes in bowel habits, blood in stool, bloating, and unexplained weight loss.
“I’ve always tried to be healthy,” he told People Magazine.
“My career hasn’t been about focusing on my physicality,” he added, noting that many of his roles placed him in suits or uniforms rather than spotlighting his physique.
“The most important thing for me is just to try to maintain your health—just common-sense stuff,” he said. That philosophy has carried him through decades in Hollywood and through deeply personal battles with illness.
Ernie Hudson Jr. pictured on March 21, 2024, in London, England (Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for Columbia Pictures)
During his “Sherri” appearance, Hudson reflected on fatherhood as he sat before his eldest son.
“I remember seeing him [Ernie Jr.] coming home from the hospital, and I was just singing to him,” he shared. “And now 60 years later, his son is turning 40.”
It’s a full-circle moment that underscores the richness of Hudson’s journey—not just as an actor, but as a father and a cancer survivor. Ageless doesn’t mean untouched by time. For Ernie Hudson, it means living with purpose, prioritizing health, and embracing each chapter of life with gratitude.
Hudson is an award-winning actor whose shining star reached new heights with the 1984 hit “Ghostbusters,” where he portrayed Winston Zeddmore. Since that production, he’s maintained an active role in television and films. He also starred in the late ’90s TV series “Oz,” and around the 2010s, he starred in “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” as Dr. Ken Fields.
However, in 1998, his television appearances were more sporadic as he dealt with prostate cancer.
Ernie Hudson during New York Comic Con 2025 on October 11, 2025, in New York City (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for ReedPop)
“When I heard the word cancer, it was one of the most devastating moments in my life,” Hudson previously shared with Fox59 News.
Hudson discovered his cancer early after undergoing routine screening.
When you do get screened for prostate cancer, your doctor will run a few tests.
One of the tests is the PSA test, a simple blood test that screens for prostate cancer. It looks for more significant amounts of protein-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood. An elevated PSA test does not always mean you have prostate cancer. It could also reflect that your prostate is enlarged, which is common, or it could signal an infection or inflammation.
Your doctor may also conduct a digital rectal exam (DRE) to check your prostate for lumps.
Depending on the results of these tests, imaging scans and a biopsy may be ordered.
WATCH: How Gleason Grade Determines Treatment
After tests are conducted, your doctor analyzes the results to give you a Gleason Score. This score ranges from 6 to 10. The higher the score, the more aggressive the cancer.
This score, along with your other test results, helps doctors determine if your cancer is “low risk,” “intermediate risk,” or “high risk.”
Prostate cancer does not always behave the same in every man it impacts. The cancer can be considered “low-risk” and can be slow-growing, and treatment might not be necessary. In other men, the cancer may grow faster or more aggressively, requiring more immediate treatment. Because of this, there is some debate about screening.
The United States Preventive Services Taskforce recommends men at average risk between the ages of 55-69 years old should talk with their doctor about the pros and cons of prostate cancer screening.
The American Cancer Society recommends that men at age 50 who are at average risk should begin screening. Men who are at high risk of prostate cancer should begin screening at age 40. Men with a close relative diagnosed with prostate cancer should consider annual screenings in their 30s.
Most doctors agree that men over the age of 70 do not need screening.
Ernie Hudson at the premiere of “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on March 14, 2024 (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Hudson was also diagnosed with rectal cancer in 2011. This type of cancer develops in the tissues of the rectum. This type of cancer is sometimes referred to as colorectal cancer. While rectal and colorectal cancers are similar, they’re treated differently due to the cancer’s location along the intestine.
Hudson previously told Fox19 News that after being diagnosed with rectal cancer, his treatment was “more complicated and came close to dying, but due to early prevention, I was able to find it, and now I’m cancer-free.”
Treating Prostate Cancer As Cases Gradually Rose In Recent Years
Prostate cancer cases have been on the rise in recent years. The medical journal of the American Cancer Society found that “the prostate cancer incidence rate has risen by 3% per year from 2014 through 2019.”
WATCH: Finding Hope During The Prostate Cancer Journey
Prostate cancer is very treatable when caught early — and thanks to incredible advances in treatment options, even prostate cancer that is caught in advanced stages can often be managed. A long-standing prostate screening tool is the protein-specific antigen (PSA) test. This test screens for prostate cancer by looking for larger amounts of protein-specific antigen in the blood. An elevated PSA test does not always mean prostate cancer, but it could indicate a man’s cancer risk is higher or lower.
“Population-based prostate cancer screening has historically relied on PSA levels, which have led to the diagnosis of many prostate cancers that are not a threat to the patient’s life,” a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine said.
In recent years, other test methods, including prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) scans and MRI imaging, have gained increasing support from cancer experts. PSMA PET-CT scans are a relatively new imaging technique that allows physicians to visualize prostate cancer cell clusters anywhere within the body. PSMA PET-CT is helpful for people with prostate cancer where there’s a high risk of the disease spreading outside the prostate gland or those who have recurrent cancers.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses a magnetic field, radiofrequency pulses, and computer technology to generate highly accurate body images.
What Factors Go Into Treatment Choices?
For many patients, the differences between treatment options — such as surgery, radiation, or hormone therapy — can be subtle. But those nuances matter, especially when side effects impact daily life.
Dr. James Ryan Mark, a urologic oncologist at Fox Chase, urges patients to weigh the benefits and trade-offs of each treatment option carefully.
“In certain cases, the differences in treatment options can be relatively minor,” Dr. Mark explains.
WATCH: Balancing Treatment and Quality of Life: What Men Should Know About Prostate Cancer Care
One common combination for aggressive prostate cancer is radiation therapy paired with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), also called hormone therapy, which suppresses testosterone to slow cancer growth. While this approach can significantly improve recurrence rates and survival, it’s not without cost — especially for older patients.
“Adding those treatments to radiation has a big improvement on the recurrence rate of survival,” Dr. Mark says. “But not all men sustain that big of an improvement, and particularly if you’re older, taking out your testosterone can really affect your muscle strength and vitality.”
For some, preserving strength and energy may outweigh a modest increase in cancer control.
“As patients are getting elderly, to some, that is more important than maybe a 10% [increase] in their case of prostate cancer control,” he adds.
Dr. Mark also cautions against rigid treatment protocols that don’t account for individual needs. He encourages patients to ask their care team questions and explore different types of treatments, specifically inquiring about possible treatment outcomes and the side effects they bring.
“Sometimes, it almost seems dogmatic in the way the treatments are delivered,” he says. “It’s always good to ask what the benefit of each aspect of the treatment is and what can be given in a different way.”
Dr. Vivek Narayan, a medical oncologist at the University of Pennsylvania, is part of a growing movement in oncology that embraces combination therapy as the backbone of metastatic prostate cancer treatment. This approach pairs traditional hormone therapy (also called androgen deprivation therapy or ADT) with FDA-approved oral agents like abiraterone, enzalutamide, apalutamide, and darolutamide — each designed to disrupt the testosterone-driven growth of cancer cells further.
WATCH: A Message Of Hope For Men Fighting Advanced Prostate Cancer
These therapies not only slow disease progression but also offer patients a chance at living longer, fuller lives — even with an advanced diagnosis.
Dr. Narayan highlights the progress in advanced prostate cancer care, noting that the disease is increasingly manageable and patients now have greater potential for improved quality of life. Still, patients must be carefully monitored.
“Even with metastatic prostate cancer, it’s not always the cancer that causes the biggest problems. We’ve got to keep an eye on overall health, because that matters just as much.” Dr. Narayan notes.
This shift in perspective is critical — not just for patients, but for caregivers and clinicians alike. It reframes the diagnosis from a terminal sentence to a chronic condition that can be managed with precision and care.
The outlook for prostate cancer care is promising, driven by breakthroughs in treatment and the rise of personalized medicine. Dr. Narayan’s work at Penn Medicine, among other cancer research centers across the country, continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible, offering patients not just treatment but a renewed sense of continued hope.
Prostate Cancer Screening and Warning Signs
When you do get screened for prostate cancer, your doctor will run a few tests.
One of the tests is the PSA test, a simple blood test that screens for prostate cancer. It looks for more significant amounts of protein-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood. An elevated PSA test does not always mean you have prostate cancer. It could also reflect that your prostate is enlarged, which is common, or it could signal an infection or inflammation.
Your doctor may also conduct a digital rectal exam (DRE) to check your prostate for lumps.
Depending on the results of these tests, imaging scans and a biopsy may be ordered.
WATCH: How Gleason Grade Determines Treatment
Prostate cancer does not always behave the same in every man it impacts. The cancer can be considered “low-risk” and can be slow-growing, and treatment might not be necessary. In other men, the cancer may grow faster or more aggressively, requiring more immediate treatment. Because of this, there is some debate about screening.
The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends that men at average risk between the ages of 55 and 69 years talk with their doctor about the pros and cons of prostate cancer screening.
The American Cancer Society recommends that men at age 50 who are at average risk should begin screening. Men who are at high risk of prostate cancer should begin screening at age 40. Men with a close relative diagnosed with prostate cancer should consider annual screenings in their 30s.
SurvivorNet experts suggested that men consider factors like their family history, genes, and age when deciding whether and when to screen.
Symptoms of prostate cancer may include:
Urinating more often
Waking up in the middle of the night to pee
Blood in your urine
Trouble getting an erection
Pain or burning when you urinate
Pain in your back, hips, thighs, or other bones
Unexplained weight loss
Fatigue
Prostate Health Among Black Men
The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) has cancer screening guidelines with Black men in mind.
Since Black men tend to be diagnosed with prostate cancer at younger ages compared to other racial groups, the new guidelines state Black men should consider screening at 40 years old since this demographic group is regarded as a “high-risk population.”
WATCH: How to Address Racial Disparities in Cancer Care
“Few guidelines have outlined specific recommendations for prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based prostate cancer screening among Black men,” researchers for PCF said in its report published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
“Discussions with health care providers about baseline PSA testing should begin by the time Black men are in their early 40s, and modeling data suggest prostate cancer develops 3-9 years earlier in Black men compared to their peers. Lowering the age for baseline PSA testing from 50-55 years to 40-45, followed by regular screening intervals until the age of 70, would reduce prostate cancer mortality in Black men,” the PCF said in its report.
SurvivorNet holds an annual Close the Gap conference to educate, spread awareness, and ultimately work to eliminate racial disparities in cancer care. Our efforts aim to ensure everyone has access to education about cancer, screening recommendations, treatment options, clinical trials, and more.
Questions for Your Doctor
If you have experienced symptoms associated with prostate cancer or have a screening coming up, here are some questions you may ask your doctor:
If I had elevated PSA levels, what could be causing that besides cancer?
How long will it take to learn if my PSA levels warrant further testing?
What are the treatment options that are best suited for me based on my risk level?
What financial resources exist to help me with the costs associated with treatment?
How long will my potential treatment prevent me from working or continuing normal activities?
