'Jurassic Park' actor Sam Neill is now cancer free
What's the story
Hollywood actor Sam Neill has announced that he is now cancer-free after undergoing a new treatment. The 78-year-old Jurassic Park star had been battling stage-three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (blood cancer) for five years and was on chemotherapy until it stopped working. He then participated in a clinical trial for CAR T-cell therapy, which genetically modified his blood cells to fight the disease.
Treatment success
Neill eager to return to work
Neill shared the good news during an interview with the Australian network 7News recently. He revealed that a recent scan confirmed there was no cancer in his body. "I've just had a scan just now and there is no cancer in my body, that's an extraordinary thing," he said. The actor also expressed his eagerness to return to work, stating, "It's time I did another movie."
Treatment details
The actor hoped his experience would help others
Neill explained more about his cancer treatment in an Instagram post on Monday. He described the clinical trial as "We were sailing into uncharted waters. No one knew exactly what we could expect." The actor admitted he was "uncomfortable" talking about his cancer but hoped that sharing his experience would help make groundbreaking treatments available to those who need them.
Advocacy efforts
Neill now advocating for wider access to CAR T-cell therapy
Neill is now advocating for wider access to CAR T-cell therapy in Australia. The treatment is currently only available under the public health system for certain cancers at specific hospitals. Privately, it costs over A$6,00,000 per patient in Australia. The actor is supporting the Snowdome Foundation, a non-profit organization that funds research and clinical trials to accelerate new treatments and cures for Australian blood cancer patients.
Personal journey
Neill 1st revealed his cancer diagnosis in 2023 memoir
In his 2023 memoir, Did I Ever Tell You This?, Neill first revealed his cancer diagnosis. He shared that he noticed swollen glands while promoting Jurassic World Dominion in March 2022 and was later diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma. In an interview with Australian Story in October 2023, Neill said he was "prepared" for death but wasn't "remotely afraid" of it.