Director Stephen Gyllenhaal may have found his next project \u2014 and it\u2019s a topic very close to him.<\/p>\n
Gyllenhaal \u2014 father to Oscar nominees Jake and Maggie and 10-year-old Luke \u2014 was with his youngest son at a swimming pool last year when an unusual feeling washed over him.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy arms and legs suddenly felt as thick as elephants, and I could hardly move,\u201d Gyllenhaal, 75, recalled to The Post. \u201cI was really freaked out, but I kept on thinking it\u2019s nothing, and then it got worse and worse.\u201d<\/p>\n
Director Stephen Gyllenhaal, pictured here in 2012, was diagnosed last year with node-positive prostate cancer. WireImage<\/p>\n
After three days of being unable to pee, Gyllenhaal was diagnosed with prostate cancer<\/a> that had spread to a nearby lymph node.<\/p>\n For years, he had taken a wait-and-see attitude to his enlarged prostate and elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA), two potential signs of the deadly cancer.<\/p>\n With September being Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, Gyllenhaal is publicly sharing his diagnosis for the first time while advocating for a proactive approach to testing and disease management.<\/p>\n \u201cJust stay on top of it because almost all the time, you\u2019re relieved,\u201d Gyllenhaal said about testing.<\/p>\n \u201cYou say, \u2018I\u2019ve got another two years before I have to do anything again,\u2019 and it really matters to do that,\u201d he added. \u201c[If] something comes up two years later, you\u2019ve caught it early, and you deal with it, and you don\u2019t die.\u201d<\/p>\n Gyllenhaal underwent nearly eight weeks of treatment at the New York Proton Center. Stephen Gyllenhaal<\/p>\n Prostate cancer\u00a0is the most common\u00a0cancer among US men, aside from skin cancer.<\/p>\n Nearly 314,000 new cases of\u00a0prostate\u00a0cancer\u00a0and over 35,000 deaths will be recorded this year, making it the second leading cause of cancer death in men, behind lung cancer, according to new American Cancer Society estimates<\/a>.<\/p>\n Gyllenhaal\u2019s road to cancer goes back a ways. His doctor flagged him about his enlarged prostate many years ago and his elevated PSA in 2020.<\/p>\n PSA is a protein produced by healthy and cancerous prostate cells. A high PSA blood test result can signal prostate cancer, but it is not a definitive diagnosis.<\/p>\n Gyllenhaal \u2014 who directed 2023\u2019s \u201cUnCharitable\u201d<\/a> documentary \u2014 said he got distracted by the pandemic, and it \u201cdidn\u2019t quite register\u201d that his condition could be serious even as he received a Gleason score of 5 in 2022.<\/p>\n The Gleason grading system ranges from 2 to 10, with a higher score indicating a more aggressive cancer.<\/p>\n Gyllenhaal, fifth from left, is shown here with his care team at the New York Proton Center. Many patients ring a bell to signify that their treatment is complete. New York Proton Center<\/p>\n Shortly after the pool incident in October 2024, he had a Gleason score of 9.<\/p>\n His PSA was 42 \u2014 a PSA above 4 is considered abnormal<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what got me to suddenly do everything quickly,\u201d Gyllenhaal said, noting his inability to urinate stemmed from a bladder infection. \u201cMy prostate was out of control.\u201d<\/p>\n After consulting with friends and doctors, he ended up connecting with Dr. Arpit Chhabra<\/a>, a radiation oncologist and director of education at the New York Proton Center<\/a> in East Harlem.<\/p>\n There are a few ways to address prostate cancer, including removing the entire prostate gland, using high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells or freezing the cells away with focal therapy.<\/p>\n Gyllenhaal, pictured with Jake in 2002, said his older son is \u201cso on top of\u201d his disease. Getty Images<\/p>\n Proton therapy uses a beam of charged particles to deliver a targeted, high dose of radiation to a tumor, sparing healthy tissue.<\/p>\n Conventional radiation therapy has historically been less precise.<\/p>\n \u201cProton therapy allowed us to deliver this curative treatment with the greatest precision and safety, minimizing side effects to surrounding organs,\u201d Chhabra told The Post.<\/p>\n Gyllenhaal, a Hollywood Hills resident, temporarily relocated to Maggie\u2019s place in Brooklyn for the nearly eight weeks of treatment. He found joy in the sunrise in his daily commute to the facility.<\/p>\n There were no notable side effects from radiation, though he has experienced downsides to taking the hormone medications Orgovyx \u2014 which reduces testosterone production \u2014 and Nubeqa, which blocks testosterone from fueling cancer cells.<\/p>\n Stephen stayed with daughter Maggie in Brooklyn while undergoing treatment. The family is photographed here in 2003. Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no question about it, that\u2019s been the hardest thing,\u201d Gyllenhaal said about his lower testosterone, which has led him to lose weight and muscle mass. He also struggles with his short-term memory.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, he\u2019s optimistic about his prognosis.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t understand the proton stuff, but it has definitely made my life kind of feel miraculous,\u201d Gyllenhaal shared, \u201cand has me hopeful about the future.\u201d<\/p>\n There\u2019s no history of prostate cancer in his famous family, but his diagnosis means Jake, 44, and Luke are at increased risk.<\/p>\n Maggie and Stephen Gyllenhaal are seen here in 2017. Stephen said he appreciated the sunrise when leaving her home each morning to go to treatment appointments. Getty Images for Moet & Chandon<\/p>\n Gyllenhaal said Jake is \u201cso on top of this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was funny, he was worried that I wasn\u2019t on top of it,\u201d Gyllenhaal said.<\/p>\n \u201cHe had this top doctor, and his top doctor said, \u2018Your dad\u2019s got all the right people,\u2019 \u201d he continued. \u201c\u2018He\u2019s doing the best thing he can do,\u2019 which was really good.\u201d<\/p>\n He said he\u2019s also had frank talks with young Luke and these discussions will continue as he gets older.<\/p>\n Men at higher risk of prostate cancer should generally start testing between 40 and 45, while those at average risk should look to begin testing from 45 to 50.<\/p>\n