Oscar-Winning Actor De Niro Diagnosed With Cancer

Monday, October 20, 2003

(10:28 AM ET)

Reuters/VNU

Academy Award winning actor Robert De Niro, 60, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, but his prospects for a full recovery are good, his publicist announced on October 20, 2003. Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate gland. DeNiro arrives for the 31st American Film Institute Life Achievement Award dinner honoring him at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood in this file photo taken on June 12, 2003. REUTERS/

Image Credit: Fred Prouser -- Reuters

NEW YORK
Academy Award winning actor Robert De Niro, 60, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, but his prospects for a full recovery are good, his publicist said on Monday.

"Doctors say the condition was detected at an early stage because of regular checkups," publicist Stan Rosenfield said in a statement. "Because of the early detection and his excellent physical condition, doctors project a full recovery."

De Niro won an Oscar as best actor in 1981 for his role as the emotionally self-destructive boxing champion Jake La Motta in "Raging Bull." He was named best supporting actor in 1975 for playing the young Mafia patriarch Vito Corleone in "The Godfather: Part II".

The native New Yorker, who shot to prominence in Martin Scorsese's 1973 film "Mean Streets," has received four other Oscar nominations as best actor in "Cape Fear" (1991), "Awakenings" (1990), "The Deer Hunter" (1978) and "Taxi Driver" (1976).

He was last seen in movie theaters reprising his comic turn as mobster Paul Vitti in the film "Analyze That" with Billy Crystal.
(Source: Netscape Network News with CNN)
2003 © Reuters, Ltd.

Dan