These celebrities with cancer who had zero symptoms kept it private from the media’s eyes.
The truth is that cancer doesn’t discriminate, not even celebrities. While some of the celebrities with cancer wanted to make their battles public, others preferred to keep them away from people’s eyes. What’s more shocking about them is that many of them had zero symptoms and found they were sick through a routine check-up.
This serves as a timely reminder that routine medical exams are essential and should never be avoided. One can never be too sure of internal issues, and early detection might be vital. Taking preventive measures for your health is essential, even if you’re not experiencing any symptoms.
Ben Stiller
The well-known actor from the movie Meet the Parents, Ben Stiller, is one of the celebrities who had cancer but kept the battle private for almost two years. The 58-year-old actor stated that he had zero symptoms and no family history of cancer when his doctor discovered an ‘aggressive’ tumor during a routine test back in 2014.
On his doctor’s suggestion, he had surgery to remove the prostate, a gland about the size of a walnut that sits behind the bladder in males near the urethra, and the cancer was removed.
In a 2016 interview with Today, he confessed that he occasionally had problems with intimacy, which are frequent adverse effects of the treatment. Prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer in males, accounting for around 50,000 new cases and 12,000 fatalities every year.
While prostate cancer goes unnoticed, there are some symptoms that you might want to pay attention to pelvic pain, blood in urine, difficulty urinating, and the need to go to the bathroom more often. If the disease is caught early, it’s easier to cure it.
Louis Walsh
Another one of the celebrities who had cancer but never had any symptoms is Louis Walsh. Following a health scare in 2020, Louis Walsh, a former star of X Factor, said that he was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer four years later.
While acting with Levi and Ekin-Su on Celebrity Big Brother this year, the 72-year-old talked about his condition and said that no one was aware of his illness. Upon being questioned by the two about his lockdown experience, he responded, “I was sick, and I think nobody knew I was sick.” I had cancer. An uncommon and moderate form.
He was found to have lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, or Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia, a rare kind of low-grade lymphoma (a type of cancer of the bone marrow).
This disease is linked to an excess of protein in the bloodstream. According to doctors, symptoms of this uncommon type of cancer include bruising easily, weight loss, pale appearance, and fatigue.
Kathy Bates
The star of Misery and American Horror Story fought ovarian cancer in 2003, but she kept quiet about the news until several years later. She decided to go public following a double mastectomy in 2012, the year she received her cancer diagnosis.
Since then, Bates has turned into an ambassador of lymphedema education and cancer awareness, a model for many other celebrities who followed her example.
Joe Piscopo
Another celebrity who fought cancer silently is the star of Saturday Night Live, who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer back in 1981. He was among those patients with zero symptoms, and it was detected by his doctor during a routine check-up.
Piscopo explained to Coping Magazine back in 2001, on the 20th anniversary of his cancer survival, that he chose to conceal his illness from others during his treatment and recuperation to avoid the stigma associated with being a cancer patient.
Helen McCrory
Unfortunately, Helen McRory is one of the celebrities on the list who didn’t survive cancer. Star of Harry Potter and Peaker Blinders Helen McCory vowed to keep her friends in the dark while battling illness and carrying on with her charitable activities in the last weeks before she passed away at the age of 52.
Furthermore,’ very, very few people knew about her hidden battle, as Carrie Cracknell. Ever since discovering her diagnosis, she had prioritized her family and her acting career over her cancer treatment.
The typical initial sign is a painless lump in the breast, although the majority of these lumps are benign fluid-filled cysts rather than malignant tumors. The lymph nodes under the armpit are typically the first location where breast cancer spreads. You’ll lump or bulge in your armpit if this happens.
Robert De Niro
In 2003, the famous actor was diagnosed with prostate cancer diagnosis. During his treatment, he remained largely silent about his condition, sharing it publicly only after he had made a full recovery. Known for his amazing roles in Goodfellas and Taxi Driver, De Niro has been cancer-free for several years and is still acting and we hope he won’t stop very soon.
Sharon Osbourne
In 2002, the television celebrity and spouse of rock icon Ozzy Osbourne fought colon cancer; during her treatment, she originally kept the disease a secret. On her reality show, The Osbournes, Osbourne later disclosed her diagnosis. Since then, she has turned into a cancer awareness champion.
Sofia Vergara
TV miniseries Griselda and Modern Family Star Sofia Vergara only opened up about her thyroid cancer two decades after starting treatment to cure it.
At the age of 28, the actress—who is currently 52—was found to have thyroid cancer after a routine examination revealed a tumor in her neck.
However, she chose not to disclose this information until a Stand Up to Cancer broadcast in 2021. After undergoing therapy, she posted a photo of herself at her first acting lesson the following year.
In 2022, Sofia Vergara wrote that discovering she had cancer was so shocking because she was never prepared for it. When she was asked to disclose more from diagnosis to treatment she said: “I had several hours of radiation therapy and, at last, surgery. I can now proudly identify as a cancer survivor.”
Unfortunately, this type of cancer frequently targets people over 60 and in their 30s, but women are up to three times more likely than males to develop it.
The thyroid produces hormones that affect almost all of the body’s organs and regulate many of its most vital processes. At first, thyroid cancer may not present any symptoms, but as it progresses, it can cause swallowing difficulties, voice changes, and neck swelling.
There may occasionally be a nodule in the neck that hurts in the throat and can be felt through the skin, and that would be a major alarming sign to go for a regular check-up.
Dealing with cancer can be a shocking and difficult time for anyone. Depending on the individual, it can be very challenging to endure. To minimize the risk of developing cancer, it is important to have two regular check-ups per year, even if you are feeling well.
If you’re interested in reading more things about cancer, treatments, and how to overcome it Cancer Secrets: An Integrative Oncologist Reveals How to Fight Cancer may help you understand this disease better. It is available on Amazon for $17.96.
Related article: 8 Unexpected Signs You Might Have Lung Cancer.Â
