Stanley Tucci says he was misdiagnosed for two years and he was 'lucky' that the cancer did not metastasize. Photo: AP
Stanley Tucci revealed the details of his battle with oral cancer, five years after his diagnosis.
The Oscar-winning Lovely Bones actor sat down with Today host Willie Geist for a conversation about his love for food, Hollywood projects and his health published Sunday (April 30).
The Devil Wears Prada star told Geist that he was “absolutely terrified” when he learned he had cancer in 2017.
“It was terrifying. My first wife died of cancer. I’ve had a lot of friends who died of cancer,” Tucci, 62, told Geist. “When I got it, I was completely shocked.”
The actor, who was promoting his new Prime Video show Citadel, said oral cancer was “common” among men his age. Tucci said he was misdiagnosed for two years and he was “lucky” that the cancer did not metastasize.
Tucci said his tumour was too large to remove via surgery and he subsequently underwent 35 days of treatment, including six rounds of “light-dose” chemotherapy.
“It was awful,” he said.
Tucci, whose affinity for good food has stemmed into a lucrative career with projects including CNN’s Searching For Italy, said the treatment took its toll on his body and diet.
“I lost 35 pounds (16kg),” he said. “I couldn’t eat. I had a feeding tube for six months and everything tasted like you-know-what and smelled like you-know-what.”
He continued: “And it took months and months and months for me to finally be able to eat again and then taste properly again.”
The Hunger Games star reassured Geist that he’s “fine” and currently in good health, despite the diagnosis and the rigorous treatment. He also boasted he “can actually taste and smell better” post-treatment.
Tucci has spoken about his cancer battle in recent years. In a March 2022 cover story for People, he recalled losing his first wife, Kate Tucci, to breast cancer in 2009.
He also spoke about the support he received from wife Felicity Blunt (the sister of his Devil Wears Prada co-star Emily Blunt).
On the Sunday Sitdown podcast, he shared the same gratitude for the “incredible” Felicity, who he said encouraged him to push through with the cancer treatment.
“I mean, they had to drag me, kicking and screaming,” he said, “but now, I wouldn’t be around if I hadn’t done that.” – Los Angeles Times/Tribune News Service
