William Shatner has experienced success during his active career. The actor, best known for his role as Captain James T. Kirk in the Star Trek franchise, was granted the chance to travel to space in real life. On the other hand, Shatner was unable to survive until the age of 90 due to an incurable illness.
William Shatner, the Star Trek actor, has eight albums to his name and has distinguished himself in the acting and music worlds. Despite his accomplishments, the actor turned his life upside down when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Shatner wrote for NBC about how he had led a very blessed life but had also seen death in various ways. When a grim diagnosis was provided to him, the star was understandably concerned that his days were numbered.
“I was told by a doctor that I had a deadly condition. I had a feeling I was going to die, “Shatner told NBC about it.
“In response to the news, I was at a loss for words. We were discussing my funeral.”
“The doctor diagnosed me with cancer. I reasoned that there had to be an error.”
Prostate cancer frequently spreads slowly, and symptoms do not appear until the prostate is large enough to obstruct the tube that drains urine from the bladder into the penis.
Shatner’s doctor used a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test to detect his cancer. These tests can determine whether cancer seriously threatens one’s life and whether non-cancerous conditions cause elevated PSA levels.
“He took my PSA, which is a sign of this disease,” Shatner stated of his diagnosis.
“Until then, it had been one or two, which was well within acceptable bounds. He stated that it was 10 o’clock. ‘Aggressive cancer,’ says the doctor. Ten! My flesh had deceived me.”
After being astonished, horrified, and perhaps outraged by the diagnosis, Shatner’s thoughts rapidly shifted to the potential of death.
“I was aware of my prognosis; I had prepared my will, which said that this person would receive this and that person would receive that following my death,” he revealed.
“On a more emotional level, I was convinced I would live indefinitely. I contested it. It meant being able to express myself before indulging in a beautiful slice of strudel for myself. Death had no meaning for me.”
After fighting to embrace life while bearing the gravity of a death sentence, Shatner realized that testosterone supplements—the very supplements he was taking—might have something to do with prostate cancer in some cases.
“I was thinking of stopping the medicines.” “That’s a terrific concept,” he agreed.
For their investigation, researchers in Baltimore, Maryland, collected blood samples from 759 men, 111 of whom had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Males above 55 were found to be more likely to get prostate cancer, showing that rising testosterone levels are associated with an increased chance of developing the disease.
Another study by the University of Oxford discovered that, while high testosterone levels were not associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer, low testosterone levels were.
Because the body has a limited number of androgen receptors, the amount of testosterone in the bloodstream is useless if these are “full” because binding to a receptor is impossible. This data came from blood samples taken from nearly 19,000 males, 6,900 of whom had prostate cancer.
Low testosterone levels, according to this study, can lessen the risk of prostate cancer, whereas high testosterone levels do not. And Shatner was no exception.
“Three months later, I received another PSA test. It had come down to one. One. According to Shatner, the doctor assumed that the increased PSA level was caused by testosterone.
“The body acquires and exterminates cancer regularly, but the sensitivity of that test allowed it to detect even the tiniest amount of it, which, combined with the PSA reading, made me fear I was on the verge of death. I was relieved to learn that I was cancer-free. I’m no longer afraid of death. At the very least, immediately.
According to the NHS, “false-positive” PSA test results are common, and screening for prostate cancer with a blood test, physical exam, MRI scan, or biopsy is a more reliable approach.
People experiencing the following symptoms should consult a doctor, who will almost definitely do the aforementioned testing:
Urinating more frequently and consistently at night
An unexpected need to use the restroom problems starting to urinate (hesitation), straining, or taking their time urinating.
Poor flow, as though your bladder isn’t emptied.
The pee or sperm contains blood.
When a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer, he will be advised on the best treatment options. If the cancer is treatable, the first treatment choice may be “watchful waiting,” followed by surgery and radiotherapy later.
