Shatner's Ongoing Journey After Cancer
- Veteran actor William Shatner, 94, continues to thrive in his career and in life despite battling cancer. He had a cancer scare when he went for a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, which helps screen for prostate cancer, and learned it was elevated. Later tests did not reveal cancer.
- He shared in 2023 that he was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma, a serious skin cancer known for its potential to spread. His treatment included immunotherapy, which helps the body’s immune system attack cancer cells.
- Most prostate cancers are caught through routine screenings. Treatment is determined based on how aggressive the cancer is—classified as low, intermediate, or high risk.
- Treatment options for prostate cancer include surgery, radiation, and hormone therapy. While effective, these may result in side effects such as erectile dysfunction or urinary incontinence.
- Melanoma begins in pigment-producing cells of the skin, hair, and eyes. When these cells mutate, they can invade other parts of the body.
- The key sign of early-stage melanoma is a new or changing spot on the skin—look out for shifts in size, shape, or color.
- Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is a microscopically controlled procedure that removes skin cancer by conservatively cutting along the entire margin until the surgeon reaches clear tissue.
Through the years, Shatner has been candid about his health battles, most recently sharing his experience with tinnitus—a condition that causes the perception of ringing or buzzing sounds in the ears when no external sound is present.
Read More“That was really scary,” the actor told NBC News.
Shatner’s skin cancer was treated with immunotherapy, which is a cancer treatment where the patient’s own immune system is reengineered to attack cancer cells.
Shatner explained that the elevated PSA levels were caused by testosterone supplements he had been taking. Once he discontinued the supplements, his PSA levels returned to normal, and further testing confirmed he did not have cancer.
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Despite these health setbacks, Shatner remains remarkably active. In 2021, he became the oldest person to travel to space at the age of 90—a milestone that reflects his enduring sense of adventure and zest for life. As for his longevity secrets, Shatner credits a combination of simple yet powerful habits: avoid smoking, stay active, “eat sensibly,” and prioritize rest.
Helping You Cope With Skin Cancer
What to Know About Prostate Cancer Screening
Prostate cancer is highly treatable, especially when caught early. And thanks to major advances in medical care, even cases diagnosed at more advanced stages can often be effectively managed.
How Prostate Cancer Is Found
Most prostate cancers are detected through routine screening exams. However, prostate cancer doesn’t behave the same way in every man. In some cases, it’s slow-growing and considered “low-risk,” meaning treatment may not be immediately necessary. In others, the cancer can be more aggressive and require prompt intervention. Because of this variability, there’s ongoing debate about when and how often men should be screened.
WATCH: What does an elevated PSA level mean?
Who Should Get Screened?
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that men between the ages of 55 and 69 who are at average risk talk with their doctor about the benefits and risks of prostate cancer screening. Most experts agree that men over 70 generally do not need routine screening.
SurvivorNet experts also advise men to consider personal risk factors—such as family history, genetics, and age—when deciding on a screening plan.
WATCH: What to Look for in Prostate Cancer
Possible Symptoms of Prostate Cancer
While early prostate cancer often has no symptoms, more advanced cases may cause:
- Frequent urination
- Waking up at night to urinate
- Blood in the urine
- Difficulty getting or maintaining an erection
- Pain or burning during urination
- Pain in the back, hips, thighs, or other bones
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue
If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s important to talk to your doctor. Early detection can make a significant difference in treatment outcomes.
Be on the Lookout for Signs of Skin Cancer
The main types of skin cancer include basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.
Melanoma also causes the most skin cancer deaths, according to the National Cancer Institute. It starts in the same cells that give your skin, hair, and eyes their color. In melanoma, the cells undergo a change that enables them to spread to other organs.
WATCH: Am I at risk for melanoma?
Changes to a mole you’ve had for a while or a new growth on your skin could be signs of melanoma, according to SurvivorNet’s experts. You’ll want to watch them and tell your doctor about any changes you notice.
You’re most likely to find melanoma on sun-exposed skin areas like your face, neck, arms, and legs. Surprisingly, you might also find them in other places as well, like:
- The palms of your hands or soles of your feet
- On your eyes or mouth
- Under your nails
WATCH: The self-exam you should give yourself when checking for signs of skin cancer.
When you check your skin, use the acronym ABCDE as your guide. Look for:
- Asymmetrical moles: If you drew a line straight down the center of the mole, would the sides match?
- Borders: Is the mole irregular or jagged?
- Colors: Are there multiple distinct colors in the mole?
- Diameter: Is the mole larger than 6 millimeters (mm), about the size of a pencil head eraser?
- Evolution: Has the mole’s color, shape, or size changed over time?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, our experts say it’s time to see your dermatologist for a skin check.
WATCH: Best surgery option for melanoma.
Mohs surgery is the most common option in areas such as the face, ears, and nose.
Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is a microscopically controlled procedure that removes skin cancer by conservatively cutting along the entire margin until the surgeon reaches clear tissue. It’s commonly used to remove other skin cancers, such as basal and squamous cell carcinomas.
During the procedure, your doctor will numb the area with anesthesia and remove the tumor using a scalpel. You’ll be asked to wait while they analyze layers of the removed sample under a microscope. The procedure is done one layer at a time, examining each layer for cancer cells before removing the next layer.
This process continues until all cancer cells are removed from the area.
Cancer removal usually leads to a cure in the early stages of the disease.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
If you are diagnosed with skin cancer, you may have some questions for your doctor. SurvivorNet suggests some of the following to help you on your cancer journey.
- What type of skin cancer do I have?
- What treatment options exist for my type of melanoma?
- Will insurance cover this treatment?
- Would treatment through a clinical trial make sense for me?
- What resources exist to help manage my anxiety because of this diagnosis?
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
ANSWER QUESTIONS
