One of Britain's most well-known and well-loved actors Stephen Fry revealed earlier that he had undergone surgery for Prostate Cancer in January.
The TV personality made the announcement via Twitter in typical Fry fashion;
For the last 2 months I've been in the throes of a rather unwelcome and unexpected adventure. I'm sorry I haven't felt able to talk about it till now, but here I am explaining what has been going on: https://t.co/uPorpiwstg
— Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) February 23, 2018
The quiz show host described his diagnosis of prostate cancer and subsequent operation as a "rather unwelcome and unwanted adventure".
Fry's cancer diagnosis
The diagnosis of prostate cancer came about as a result of Fry going to hospital for an MRI scan. He had originally gone for a flu-jab but a full health check revealed the potentially fatal disease. Offered the choice of radiotherapy or surgery, Fry opted for the latter, stating in an interview in The Guardian that it was " an aggressive little bugger." In a video posted on his website, he said he believed that all the cancer had been removed and that it didn't seem to have spread. In total Fry had 11 lymph nodes removed which, after examination, revealed a Gleason score of 9, where 10 is the maximum. (The Gleason score is the measure of cancer staging for prostate cancer).
For now, the prognosis is good and Fry is looking forward to getting back to normal with husband Elliot Spencer who he revealed had been " marvellous".
Prostate cancer. The silent killer.
In recent years, instances of deaths as a result of prostate cancer have risen dramatically. It is the most common form of cancer in men and an ageing population means more and more men are diagnosed each year and for the first time deaths from prostate cancer have overtaken deaths from breast cancer.
Recent figures show that 40,000 men are diagnosed and around 11,000 die each year from prostate cancer yet it is one of the easier cancers to check for and to cure.
The difficulty remains in the issue that many men will not suffer any noticeable symptoms other than the need to urinate more frequently and a weak flow of urine.
Fry's career
Stephen Fry has been ever present on our screens since his partnership with Hugh Laurie in 'A Little Bit of Fry and Laurie' in the 1980s. His body of work is admirable having produced volumes of his autobiography, a reworking of Greek myths in his recent work 'Mythos', his hosting of quiz show QI and the BAFTAs, voiceover work for the Harry Potter audiobooks as well as his acting credits in shows like 'Blackadder' and 'Jeeves and Wooster' with his long-term friend Hugh Laurie.
After stepping down from the BAFTAs this year rumours began to circulate over the star's health. They turned out to be true, but mercifully it would appear that he has been saved and this most enduring and endearing actor, presenter and writer will be around for many years to come.
