William Hurt's Cancer Battle Behind the Big Screen
- William Hurt was an Oscar-winning actor best known for his iconic roles in "Broadcast News," "Kiss of a Spider Woman," and "Children of a Lesser God."
- Hurt endured a decade-long battle with prostate cancer before passing away in 2022.
- Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men that begins in the prostate gland.
- Most prostate cancer is caught with screening examinations, and treatment is based on whether the cancer is “low risk,” “intermediate risk” or “high risk.”
- Patients are encouraged to talk with their doctor about their individual risk level and how their daily life may be effected by the treatment options recommended.
Late actor William Hurt was one of Hollywood's biggest and most beloved performers. His leading roles in notable films like "The Big Chill" and "Broadcast News" helped make him a household name. However, off-screen, the talented star bravely battled prostate cancer for a decade before passing from the most common cancer in men.
A close friend of Hurt told the U.K.-based news outlet The Mirror, "He was still really sharp, right up to the end," noting the brilliance of the beloved actor.
He did win the Oscar for "Best Actor in a Leading Role" for his role in "Kiss of the Spider Woman." He portrayed a gay prisoner opposite to a fellow cellmate portrayed by Raul Julia in the award-winning film.
Hurt was known for playing dramatic, complex and introspective characters. So would it surprise fans of the “Jurassic Park” movies to know that the role of Dr. Allen Grant could have been filled by Hurt
It’s true.
During the early 1990s as production for the heart-stopping dinosaur thriller "Jurassic Park" rolled around, Hurt reportedly turned down the role of scientist Dr. Grant. Actor Sam Neill would eventually assume the role, and the movie ended up earning three Oscar award wins.
In a book chronicling the making of "Jurassic Park," author Don Shay wrote Hurt was a frontrunner for the role of Dr. Grant. However, the dino movie didn't even get a read-through by Hurt.
Shay recalled what the Oscar-winning actor told him, "It didn't sound like the kind of movie he would be interested in making at this time in his life."
He went on to say Hurt then worked on "Mr. Wonderful," which premiered in 1993.
William Hurt's Cancer Journey
William Hurt was first diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2012. The actor didn’t talk publicly about it until 2018 at a press conference at the Berkeley Institute, when the cancer had spread.
Hurt initially didn’t want to be treated with chemotherapy, considering the side effects that people can experience. Though it’s important to note that doctors do have ways to help you manage them.
Then, in 2018, he learned his cancer was now stage 4, and things changed.
Stage 4 or metastatic cancer means the cancer has spread to another part or parts of the body from where it originated.
"We didn't know it has metastasized (or spread) to the bone," Hurt said at the time, according to The Mercury News.
"I didn't want to hear the word chemo…I had fought tooth and nail for five years to change my life so that word didn't happen to me. Here it was and I was really upset," Hurt said.
Hurt reportedly underwent a form of chemotherapy that helped put the cancer into remission for a period of time.
In March 2022, Hurt sadly passed away at age 71.
"It is with great sadness that the Hurt family mourns the passing of William Hurt, beloved father, and Oscar-winning actor, on March 13, 2022," Hurt's son said in a statement at the time.
What to Know About Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. It starts in the walnut-shaped prostate gland, which is located between the rectum and bladder and produces the fluid that nourishes sperm.
Most prostate cancer is caught with screening examinations.
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 be more aggressive, 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. Most doctors agree that men over the age of 70 do not need screening.
SurvivorNet experts suggested that men consider factors like their family history, genes, and age when deciding whether, and when, to screen.
WATCH: The rate of advanced prostate cancer has gone up since federal recommendations began urging men not to get PSA tests unless they had a certain risk level.
How Is Prostate Cancer Screened?
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 larger 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.
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."
Symptoms Often Associated With Prostate Cancer
It might sound odd, but paying attention to the way you urinate can help you know when to seek help. Symptoms of prostate cancer may include:
- Peeing 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
Expert Prostate Cancer Resources
Treating Prostate Cancer
After testing and your risk has been established, your doctor will discuss possible treatment options. Treatment ranges from "active surveillance" usually for men with low-risk prostate cancer. This involves regular testing every six months to monitor the prostate and check for any progression of the disease.
More aggressive treatment options include surgery and radiation therapy.
Surgery is an option for men with any risk group of prostate cancer that hasn't spread outside of the prostate gland. The type of surgery most often used is called a radical prostatectomy.
During the procedure, the surgeon removes the entire prostate, along with some tissue around it, including the seminal vesicles that release fluid into the semen. Your doctor can perform this through a traditional open procedure with one large incision or several small incisions called laparoscopic surgery.
Surgery side effects may include erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence. Fortunately, the side effects are usually temporary and there are ways to help you manage them.
Radiation therapy is often done when prostate cancer is caught early and confined to the prostate gland.
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 have 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?
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