Throughout his active career, William Shatner has achieved success. The actor, best known for his portrayal of Captain James T. Kirk in the Star Trek franchise, was given the opportunity to go to space in real life. Shatner’s incurable sickness, on the other hand, made it difficult for him to live to the age of 90.
Star Trek actor William Shatner has eight albums to his credit and has distinguished himself not only in the acting world but also in the music world. Despite his achievements, the actor’s life was flipped upside down when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Shatner wrote for NBC on how he had led a very blessed life but had also seen death in various ways. When he was given a bleak prognosis, the celebrity understandably worried that his days were numbered.
“A doctor informed me that I had a fatal ailment. I knew I was going to die, “Shatner revealed to NBC.
“I didn’t know what to say in response to the news. We were talking about my funeral.”
“I was diagnosed with cancer by the doctor. There has to be an error, I reasoned.”
Prostate cancer often spreads slowly, and symptoms do not occur until the prostate has grown large enough to impede the tube that drains pee from the bladder into the penis.
His doctor performed a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test to determine the type of cancer Shatner had. These tests can identify whether cancer is a major threat to one’s life and whether elevated PSA levels result from other non-cancerous diseases.
“He took my PSA, which is a marker for this disease, to figure out which kind it was,” Shatner explained his diagnosis.
“Until that point, it was one or two, well within acceptable limits. He stated that the time was ten. ‘Aggressive cancer,’ the doctor says. Ten! My own body had lied to me.”
Shatner’s thoughts quickly turned to the possibility of death after being surprised, horrified, and slightly enraged by the diagnosis.
“I was aware of my prognosis; I had written my will, which said that upon my death, this person would receive this and that person would receive that,” he explained.
“However, on a more emotional level, I was persuaded that I would live perpetually. I disputed it. It meant expressing myself before indulging in a delicious piece of strudel. For me, death had no significance.”
Shatner realized that testosterone supplements—the very supplements he was taking—might have anything to do with prostate cancer in some circumstances after struggling to accept life while carrying the severity of a death sentence.
“I was wondering if I should stop taking the pills.” “That would be a fantastic idea,” he agreed.
Researchers in Baltimore, Maryland, obtained blood samples from 759 men, 111 of whom had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, for their study. Males over 55 were found to be more likely to get prostate cancer, indicating convincingly that increasing testosterone levels are linked to an increased risk of developing the disease.
Another study from the University of Oxford found that while high testosterone levels were not linked to an increased risk of prostate cancer, low testosterone levels were.
The body has a finite number of androgen receptors, thus, if these are “full up,” the quantity of testosterone in the bloodstream is meaningless because binding to a receptor is impossible. This information was drawn from blood samples collected from over 19,000 men, 6,900 of whom had prostate cancer.
According to this study, low testosterone levels can reduce the risk of prostate cancer. However, high testosterone levels do not. And Shatner was no different.
“I had another PSA test three months later. It had fallen to one. One. According to Shatner, the doctor assumed that the elevated PSA number was caused by testosterone.
“The body acquires and exterminates cancer regularly, but the sensitivity of that test allowed it to detect even the smallest trace of it, which, combined with the PSA reading, made me worry I was near death. I was relieved to discover that I did not have cancer. I’m back to not dying. At the very least, right away.
The NHS explains that “false-positive” PSA test results are common and that screening for prostate cancer using a blood test, physical examination, MRI scan, or biopsy is more trustworthy.
People who have the following symptoms should see a doctor who will almost certainly do the above-mentioned testing:
More frequent and consistent urinating at night
A sudden desire to use the restroom, difficulties starting to urinate (hesitancy), straining or taking their time urinating
Poor flow, as though your bladder hasn’t been empty
There is blood in the urine or sperm.
If a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer, he will be given information about the best treatment options. If the cancer is curable, early treatment options may include “watchful waiting,” followed by surgery and radiotherapy.
