What Mandy Patinkin Learned From Battling Prostate Cancer
- Emmy-winning actor Mandy Patinkin was only 51 when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, news that shook him to his core.
- Thirty years before his diagnosis, Patinkin had lost his father to pancreatic cancer.
- After his recovery, Patinkin has dedicated himself to living a healthy lifestyle that included a nutritious diet, lots of exercise and plenty of time with his loved ones.
- Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in American men, other than skin cancers. About one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime.
The 69-year-old is perhaps best known for his catchphrase from The Princess Bride: "My name is Inigo Montoya. You Killed My Father. Prepare to die." But when he was first diagnosed in March 2004, at age 51, Patinkin was not ready to die.
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Because he was relatively young and the cancer was detected early, Patinkin’s doctors recommended surgery that would remove his prostate. Though he was concerned about side effects, he was reassured. They told the Dead Like Me thespian that the most important thing was to get rid of the cancer but that he’d still have a sexual life, though he might need to make some changes. "What's more important, having a sex life or getting rid of cancer?" he said in a 2009 interview with Coping Magazine.10 Things Every Man Should Do to Prevent Cancer
The surgery was a success and Patinkin was soon reaching even higher career pinnacles, including a starring role on the hit show Homeland, for which he was nominated for four Emmys.
"Ever since I got cancer and went through the surgery and recovered, I've realized that aside from my wife and children, cancer was the greatest gift I was ever given," he said. "I always appreciated my life, my wife, my kids, my music, the fact that I get to do what I love. But I took my life for granted. I would say I didn't, but I did. I was kidding myself. And after cancer, every day, including this second while I am talking to you, is precious to me every sunrise and sunset, every walk in the park, every visit with my children, every time I hold my wife, every time I get to perform."
About Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men, except for skin cancers. About one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. The disease begins in the walnut-shaped prostate gland located between the rectum and bladder. This gland produces the fluid that nourishes sperm.
Symptoms of the disease are inconsistent and hard to pinpoint.
"Prostate cancer is a very odd disease in that it doesn't have a particular symptom," Dr. Edwin Posadas, director of translational oncology and the medical director of the Urologic Oncology Program at Cedars-Sinai, explained.
But changes in urinary function like urinating more or less often or waking up at night to go more than usual could be a sign of the disease. However, it's important to note that these potential symptoms could also could be caused by a urinary tract infection or even an enlargement of the prostate gland (which is not cancer).
Doctors that have spoken with SurvivorNet shared a hopeful outlook when considering a prostate cancer diagnosis because there are many treatment options, and there's been significant treatment progress over the past decade. Surgical and radiation options, for example, have made improvements in reducing side effects of treatment while still providing excellent cure rates. Even for men with an advanced-stage diagnosis, many new options exist to treat prostate cancer and help them maintain an excellent quality of life.
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A New Lease On Life
Patinkin had some familiarity with the toll that a cancer battle can take. Three decades before his own diagnosis, his father had died of pancreatic cancer. It was his father he thought of when he first received the news of his disease.
"I felt lightheaded and overwhelmed, and I was weeping on the phone," he said.
With a new lease on life, Patinkin takes his health seriously. As of 2009, his diet included an antioxidant-rich smoothie in the morning and he regularly eats foods that are believed help fight cancer, such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, blueberries and cooked tomatoes. He also has a regimen of exercise, meditation and quality time with his family, including getting pretty silly during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.
"And I'm so very aware, as I never was before cancer, that I may live to 100," he said. "I hope I do. I probably will never die from prostate cancer; I don't have a prostate anymore. But I know that life could be over in 5 seconds, or 50 minutes, or 50 years. I just hope I get 50 years rather than 50 minutes."
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