Star of The Dark Knight, Colin McFarlane has revealed that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
The 61-year-old actor is best known for his role in the Christopher Nolan film and his roles in Doctor Who, Outlander and being the voice of The Cube.
Now McFarlane has shared he discovered his condition nine months on from his brother’s own prostate cancer diagnosis.
Sharing that they both discovered their illness thanks to a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, which can be given to men without symptoms after a consultation with a doctor.
McFarlane added that after a fellow actor, who was being treated for prostate cancer 17 years ago, told him about the disease’s prevalence among black men, he has been regularly tested.
Colin McFarlane diagnosed with prostate cancer
Discussing his diagnosis, McFarlane said: "I was already aware of the risk to me, so had been having annual and then six-monthly regular PSA blood tests with my GP.
“Thankfully, just over a year ago, I had told my brother to get a PSA blood test otherwise he wouldn’t have been diagnosed, because he had no symptoms.”
Adding that he is "one of the lucky ones" after being "able to catch this very early."
McFarlane also shared that: "although I have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, I do not require any treatment.
“I am being regularly monitored with PSA blood tests every three months and an MRI (or magnetic resonance imaging scan) once a year.”
The diagnosis on December 20 also coincided with his mother Gwendolyn’s birthday. She died earlier this year at the age of 94.
⚠️ Don’t wait for symptoms.
— Prostate Cancer UK (@ProstateUK) June 7, 2023
This is why it’s so important to know your risk and get diagnosed early - when your cancer can be cured.
✅ Help us separate fact from fiction. Take and share our 30-second risk checker: https://t.co/epqiqKBvDP pic.twitter.com/MbE55AUfHM
McFarlane also said: “As it’s a very slow-moving cancer I am in the best possible position to ascertain what treatment I would need in the future if that were ever deemed necessary, and currently that scenario is a long way off.
“It’s men who take no action and don’t know anything about their prostate health that are at the greatest risk.”
McFarlane shared news of his diagnosis as part of his backing for Prostate Cancer UK’s latest campaign to encourage men over 50 and black men like him over 45 to get a PSA test.
As the charity shared that black men are at double the risk of getting the disease as one in four will get it in their lifetime compared to the rate being one in eight among other men.
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