Veteran Hong Kong actor Law Kar Ying has recently dismissed the notion that he has given up treatment, after being diagnosed with cancer for the fourth time.
In a recent interview, the 78-year-old Law denied that he has given up, as the media stated, but clarified that he no longer wants to undergo chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
After undergoing surgery twice in 2004 and 2014, he said, cancer cells were detected in his prostate and he underwent surgery again in 2019.
“They removed the tumour, and my entire prostate. The post-op reports came back normal. But apparently, something was still lurking deep inside, undeveloped at the time.”
Law explained that this recurrence of prostate cancer is due to those dormant cells.
“Now I have multiple cancer cells in my body. They can’t be surgically removed, and there’s no clear way to treat them. The doctors said the only method is to inject female hormones, which can suppress the cancer and stop it from growing. The cells grow very slowly, and doctors estimate it can be controlled for around eight years. But this isn’t curing or eliminating it. It’s just keeping it stable. After eight years, that control may no longer work. And if that happens, then chemotherapy and radiation would be needed.”
Law said that since he will be 79 this year, undergoing chemo or radiation is not an option as he would rather live a normal life in his 80s.
“If I undergo chemo or radiation then, what’s the point of extending my life by just three years? When I’d be neither human nor ghost?” he added with a laugh. “What kind of life would that be [with chemotherapy]? So I’ve decided, no chemo, no radiation.”
(Photo Source: Liza Wang IG)