FRIENDS star James Michael Tyler, who famously starred as Gunther, in a recent interview with Today, revealed that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018.
Talking to a news portal Today Show, James revealed that he was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in September 2018 after a routine check-up. He was treated with hormone therapy. He said, "I was 56 years old at the time, and they screen for PSA, which is a prostate-specific antigen. That came back at an extraordinarily high number. So, I knew immediately when I went online and I saw the results of my blood test and blood work that there was obviously something quite wrong there. Nearly immediately, my doctor called me and said, "Hey, I need you to come in tomorrow because I suspect that you may have quite a serious problem with your prostate'."
The actor is undergoing chemotherapy to treat his cancer. From his experience, he urges all men to get early screenings in order to battle it through an early diagnosis. He said, "There are other options available to men if they catch it before me. Next time you go in for just a basic exam or your yearly check-up, please ask your doctor for a PSA test. It's easily detectable. If it spreads beyond the prostate to the bones, which is most prevalent in my form, it can be a lot more difficult to deal with."
Michael also took to Instagram today, June 22, to post a picture of himself from the hospital. The actor revealed that he has completed chemo round two. He captioned his post, "Just finished chemo round 2 last week!Thank you all so much for your outpouring of love and support. It means the world to me. Please click the link in my bio. Early detection can make all the difference. #pcf #prostatecancerawareness #prostatecancer #prostatecancerfoundation (sic)." In the picture, Michael is seen sitting on a wheelchair.
Michael was recently seen on Friends: The Reunion as well.
(Source: Today Show)
