Now cancer-free, the familiar face hopes to educate and inspire by sharing his story, and why regular check-ups proved to be so valuable.
Facing cancer once is difficult enough, but battling it three times is a feat. Just ask Colin Egglesfield, who’s been diagnosed with testicular cancer twice and prostate cancer most recently. Thankfully, the 52-year-old actor and Beyond Impact podcast host is now cancer free, but he credits early detection—and thoughtful care provided by City of Hope Phoenix—with saving his life.
“It’s not the hand that you’ve been dealt because you can’t change that. It’s how you play the cards that counts,” said Egglesfield in a 2024 Instagram post where he revealed his prostate cancer diagnosis. In the post, he also urged men to get their PSA [prostate-specific antigen] levels checked—the American Cancer Society says, “Prostate cancer can often be found early by testing for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in a man’s blood.”
Ahead, Egglesfield details how he caught his cancer each time, how it’s shaped his outlook on life, and why regular doctor appointments are vital.
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The Healthy by Reader’s Digest: Colin, thank you so much for sharing your story. Cancer is something that touches so many people, and it’s a noble act to share your story and educate others for awareness. Can you share with us any symptoms or early clues you experienced?
Colin Egglesfield: When I was 32 years old, I noticed some swelling in my testicle and after waiting a few weeks, I decided to go to my primary care physician to get it checked out. He sent me to a urologist and after a blood test and ultrasound test, it was determined that I had late-stage testicular cancer. I had surgery within the next few days and radiation treatment a few weeks after which, fortunately, was effective in removing the cancer.
From there, I had quarterly check-ups. Because of these check-ups, my doctor was able to detect a tumor on my other testicle. Because he was able to detect this one early, I did not need radiation.
Every year, I make sure to have bloodwork done and have made sure that I eat healthy and exercise often. From a simple blood test last year, it was detected that my PSA [prostate-specific antigen] level was elevated. I waited a few months, had another PSA test done —[it was] still elevated. After that, I had a biopsy of my prostate, which revealed early-stage prostate cancer.
My advice from my experience of all this is to make sure that you are getting regular check-ups and tests done so you can stay on top of any changes in your health. It saved my life three times!
The Healthy: What drew you to the team at City of Hope—how did you find them?
Colin Egglesfield: I was introduced to City of Hope through a friend after mentioning to her that I was interested in doing some charity work in the local Phoenix/Scottsdale area. This was right around the same time when I was diagnosed with prostate cancer as well.
After meeting with the executive leadership team at City of Hope in Phoenix, I was impressed with how personable and supportive everyone was, including Dr. Alan Bryce, who offered to talk to me about my prostate cancer diagnosis. He spent quite a bit of time answering my questions and sharing with me the information I needed in order to make the decision to have surgery for my prostate cancer. There [are] a few options and treatments available, but there are also quite a few unknowns. [It] can be overwhelming.
What really helped me as well is the Cancer Fighters program, run by Arpi Hamilton and Mackenzie Taylor, that provides incredible support to their patients/clients from an emotional and mental standpoint. Everyone at City of Hope is amazingly supportive and I’m so grateful to be under their care—and now cancer-free! Since being treated by City of Hope, I have been involved with emceeing their Celebrate Life and Walk for Hope charity events, which are a lot of fun and very inspirational.
The Healthy: Were you able to take time off work and rest, or were you working through your treatments?
Colin Egglesfield: I do quite a bit of online coaching [for communication and public speaking] and facilitate monthly Zoom calls, which I was able to still conduct. Fortunately I was able to take a few weeks to recover, and within six weeks I was feeling physically strong enough to get back to a pretty normal life again.
The Healthy: How have these experiences shifted how you think about life?
Colin Egglesfield: All three of my cancer experiences have reminded me of the value of our time and what kind of impact I want to create in this life. I’m constantly driven by my desire to create a life that I’m proud to live no matter what the circumstances may be. I’ve realized that no matter what we may be dealing with in life, we still have the ability to decide who we want to be in the face of it all. This is what has kept me empowered through each of my health challenges.
The Healthy: What is one self-care habit you refuse to skip?
Colin Egglesfield: I always make it a point to work out doing weight training and to get outside to run. For me, these are my ways of not only taking care of myself physically but also mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I also do a spiritual practice regularly which involves meditation and prayer to keep me connected to source energy.
No matter what may be going on with our bodies, our environment, our outside circumstances, or what doctors may tell us, it’s important to remember that we are eternal and grand from a spiritual perspective and that the purpose of life is to support ourselves and each other on this journey of having this human experience. We all have the massive ability to create impact in this world and no matter how long we are here in this physical form, it’s important to live this life to the fullest without fear or regret!
For daily wellness updates, subscribe to The Healthy by Reader’s Digest newsletter and follow The Healthy on Facebook and Instagram. Keep reading:
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This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
