Published Oct 9, 2020

Robert De Niro Appears to Have Acted Right Through His Prostate Cancer, 17 Years Ago, & Won’t Stop Anytime Soon: “I’ll Go as Long as I Can”

Details

Acting Through Struggle

Actor Robert De Niro is starring in an upcoming movie called The War with Grandpa.
De Niro still acted during his 2003 battle with prostate cancer.
He says he’ll continue to take older roles, and doesn’t plan to retire anytime soon.

Actor Robert De Niro, 77, has been cancer-free for over a decade, and never let his battle with the disease stop him stop him from continuing his reign over Holywood. The prostate cancer survivor is once again hitting our screens in a new movie.

De Niro stars in new family comedy The War with Grandpa, set to release today, with costars Uma Therman, Rob Riggle, and Jane Seymour. The movie follows a boy (Oakes Fegley) who’s forced to give his room to his grandfather (De Niro) and pulls elaborate pranks on him in an attempt to make him move out. However, De Niro’s character ends up retaliating and a full out prank war ensues.

This is clearly one of the actor’s more comedic roles, but if we know anything about De Niro, he can play any character. Over the years he’s participated in dozens of movies and TV shows throughout his career even during his battle with prostate cancer. De Niro was diagnosed with the disease in 2003, but his filmography never took a break. In 2002, he appeared in 5 movies including Showtime, City by the Sea, and About a Boy. De Niro’s resilience is truly inspiring, and his passion for acting shines through. While promoting his upcoming movie the actor revealed that he’s never lost his desire to hit the big screen, and doesn’t plan to retire anytime soon.

"I always say, the next thing is grandfathers, then great-grandfathers, then great-great-great grandfathers, so who knows," De Niro tells Yahoo Entertainment about his future roles. "I'll go as long as I can."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WyRpWNFfUE

Robert De Niro’s Cancer Journey

De Niro was diagnosed with prostate cancer at 60-years-old. According to the actor’s publicist, the cancer was caught during a routine PSA screening test (blood test for prostate cancer). De Niro immediately went through treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. Since the disease was caught during a routine check-up, it was in the earlier stages and De Niro was able to make a full recovery. Plus, the actor’s publicist claims De Niro’s healthy lifestyle contributed to his speedy recover.

Initially the actor kept his battle with cancer out of the public eye, but after being in remission for a few years, he decided to go public as a way to urge men to start screening. The PSA screening test, also known as the PSA blood test, can be a valuable resource in catching prostate early. Current guidelines s uggest men start screening for the disease starting at 55-years-old, and continue until they’re 70.

Dr. James Brooks explains why the PSA screening test is important to detect prostate cancer

Find Moments of Joy During Treatment

During cancer treatment, it’s important to still do the things you love. It can be difficult to focus on anything except the diagnosis, but experts suggest people still find time to take moments throughout the day and do activities that make them happy. Studies have shown that patients who are able to remain positive have a better overall quality of life, which is linked to successful treatment outcomes.

“We know from good studies, that emotional health [and] quality of life is associated with survival, meaning better quality of life is associated with better survival, better outcomes,” Dr. Dana Chase, a gynecologic oncologist at Arizona Oncology, tells SurvivorNet. “So definitely, working on your emotional health, your physical well-being, your social environment, your emotional well-being, definitely working on those things and making them better are important and can impact your survival. If that’s related to what activities you do that bring you joy, then you should try to do more of those activities.”

Related: Stay Positive, It Matters

These activities can be a variety of things. If you’re Robert De Niro, maybe it means taking a new acting gig. For others, consider taking a stroll in the park, a picnic with loved ones, or perhaps picking up a new hobby.

Dr. Dana Chase explains why cancer patients still need to find moments of joy during treatment

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

SurvivorNetTV.
Hope. Science.
Inspiration.

WATCH NOW