Larry Hagman Diagnosed with Cancer

THE GUARDIAN: The 80-year-old actor, who starred as JR in long-running US series Dallas, will go ahead with filming TNT's revival of the soap

Larry Hagman has been diagnosed with cancer but says he will continue to shoot the new series of Dallas.

The 80-year-old actor, best known for playing JR Ewing in the 1980s series Dallas, didn't specify what type of cancer he had but said it was a "very common and treatable form".

"As JR, I could get away with anything – bribery, blackmail and adultery. But I got caught by cancer," he said in a statement to America's TV Guide.

The actor is currently working on a new Dallas series for TNT and says he has no plans to pull out because of his illness. » | Lisa O'Carroll | Saturday, October 15, 2011

Hitchens: 'We're All Dying, With Me It's Accelerated'
THE INDEPENDENT: Displaying his trademark directness and wit, Christopher Hitchens has opened up about his battle with cancer, reports David Usborne

Cancer may have robbed Christopher Hitchens of much of his hair. But no one could think it had taken any of his legendary knack for getting straight to the point.

"How am I? I am dying," he says as an opener to a conversation with The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg, recorded at his own home in Washington DC with his "dearest friend" Martin Amis, the novelist, more or less ambling into view midway through it, a bottle of beer in hand. "Everybody is, but the process has suddenly accelerated on me."

And in spite of the position he finds himself in, Hitchens sounds no less intellectually rigorous. To the question that each interviewer was bound to ask an orthodox atheist such as himself – is this the time to reconsider your views on God? – he offers a categorical reply: no.

It has been only a few short weeks since the English-American journalist, author, professional controversialist and curmudgeon was diagnosed with an especially fierce form of cancer. And even those whom Hitchens has infuriated – and they are legion – will surely find it hard not to be moved by his plight today. He is 61 years old, has three young children, whom he had hoped to see married one day. In video interviews recorded in the last several days with CNN and The Atlantic he looks worn out and quite altered. >>> David Usborne | Thursday, August 12, 2010

Jeff Goldberg Interviews Hitchens
THE ATLANTIC: "As a Jewish hypochondriac, I have access to a lot of medical minds," Jeffrey Goldberg tells Hitch. Among the questions: does Hitchens mind those who pray for him? Special guest appearance by Martin Amis. – Friday, August 6, 2010



THE ATLANTIC: Join the discussion >>>

AC360: Christopher Hitchens Talks Cancer and God

Fury as Doctor Who Said Lockerbie Bomber Would Die In Three Months Admits: He Could Live for a Decade
MAIL ONLINE: The cancer expert who predicted the Lockerbie bomber would die within three months of his release from prison has admitted he could live for another ten years or more.

Professor Karol Sikora, who had diagnosed Abdelbaset Al Megrahi with terminal cancer, faced calls to apologise to victims' families last night.

Campaigners reacted with fury to the professor's comments, which they said raised new questions about the decision to allow Megrahi to return to his native Libya.

Tory MP Ben Wallace, a former member of the Scottish Affairs Committee, said: 'The doctor that carried out this diagnosis owes his regret to the families of the victims.

'He should apologise to the victims for contributing to the release of a mass murderer, who is clearly alive and well in Libya.

'Throughout this whole sorry affair the victim has been put last behind trade deals, Scotish Nationalist posturing and dubious medical diagnosis.' >>> Jack Doyle | Monday, July 05, 2010

Cancer Patient Forced by Judge to Have Surgery
THE TELEGRAPH: A cancer patient is to be forced to undergo life-saving treatment against her wishes after a landmark ruling by a judge.

Doctors will be allowed forcibly to sedate the 55-year-old woman in her home and take her to hospital for surgery. She could be forced to remain on a ward afterwards.

The case has sparked an intense ethical and legal debate. Experts questioned whether lawyers and doctors should be able to override the wishes of patients and whether force was ever justified in providing medical care.

Treatment was ordered by Sir Nicholas Wall, the President of the Family Division, in the Court of Protection, after surgeons at the woman's local hospital applied for permission to force the surgery on her. They argued that without it, advanced cancer of the uterus would kill her.

Sir Nicholas agreed because the woman, who has learning difficulties, was deemed incapable of making a rational decision about the operation.

She had previously agreed to surgery, only to change her mind and repeatedly refuse to turn up for medical appointments, claiming a phobia of hospitals and needles. >>> Martin Beckford and Stephen Adams | Wednesday, May 26, 2010

New Row over 'Non-expert' Cancer Diagnosis of Lockerbie Bomber al-Megrahi
TIMES ONLINE: The furore over the release of the Lockerbie bomber intensified today over the medical advice given to the Scottish government on how long he has to live.

It emerged that the prognosis that Abdel Baset Ali al-Megrahi had a life expectancy of only three months or less was supported by an unnamed doctor who had no expertise in terminal prostate cancer.

The final report on al-Megrahi’s condition which went to Kenny MacAskill was drawn up by Dr Andrew Fraser, director of health and care with the Scottish Prison Service.

The three-month time limit is important because Scottish Prison Service guidance says that compassionate release from prison “may be considered where a prisoner is suffering from a terminal illness and death is likely to occur soon. There are no fixed time limits but life expectancy of less than three months may be considered an appropriate period.”

Dr Fraser’s report says: “Whether or not prognosis is more or less than three months, no specialist ‘would be willing to say’.”

Dr Fraser’s report, however, also contains a reference to the “opinion” of an unnamed doctor - thought to be a GP - who, says the report, “dealt with him (al-Megrahi) prior to, during and following the diagnosis of metastatic prostate cancer”.

It adds: “Having seen him during each of these stages, his clinical condition has declined significantly over the last week (July 26-August 3).

“The clinical assessment, therefore,is that a three month prognosis is now a reasonable estimate for this patient.”

Political opponents at Holyrood were today claiming that the conclusion reached by Dr Fraser was based on what the unnamed GP had said and had not taken into sufficient account the more guarded views of the prostate cancer specialists.

Dr Richard Simpson, a Labour MSP and a former associate member of the British Association of Urological Surgeons and member of its prostate cancer working group, has raised doubts about the three-month prognosis.

He said: "The Scottish government has misrepresented the medical evidence. The Justice Secretary chose to disregard the advice of specialists and release al-Megrahi on the opinion of one doctor, who we now know was not a specialist.

"At the very least, Kenny MacAskill should have sought a second opinion confirming the patient's prognosis from a specialist in palliative care. That he did not do so showed a disregard for due process and the significance of the decision." >>> Angus Macleod, Scottish Political Editor | Thursday, August 27, 2009