Ryan O'Neal diagnosed with 4th stage of prostate cancer

Ryan O'Neal recently revealed in a statement that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer after recovering from Leukemia in 1990. The doctors are hopeful for a full recovery.

The 70-year-old actor had long battled with his leukemia and even lost his long time love, Farrah Fawcett, to anal cancer three years back.

O'Neal is not new to diseases. He told People magazine in a statement that he trusted his talented team of doctors to do their best to save him.

“Recently I was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer. Although I was shocked and stunned by the news, I feel fortunate that it was detected early and, according to my extraordinary team of doctors, prognosis is positive for a full recovery. I am deeply grateful for the support of my friends and family during this time, and I urge everyone to get regular check-ups, as early detection is the best defense against this horrible disease that has afflicted so many,” said O'Neal.

Doctors say that O'Neal will have to go through a radiation therapy along with a hormone therapy. Since the cancer has not spread to any distant organs, it is treatable as well as curable.

After he had been diagnosed with Leukemia, he remained under treatment for 5 years before physicians announced that his condition was improving.

O'Neal had maintained an on and off relationship with lover Farrah Fawcett, the "Charlie’s Angels" actress, until she died of a similar ailment. Fawcett was O'Neal’s third relationship. He was previously married to Leigh Tylor Young and before that, to Joanna Cook Moore.

Fawcett and O’Neal were very close. They had one child together - Redmond O'Neal. Ryan O'Neal had fathered three children including his daughter, Tatum, before he met Fawcett. When Fawcett was battling her disease, O’Neal told People magazine that he couldn't imagine living without her.

“It’s a love story. I just don’t know how to play this one. I won’t know this world without her. Cancer is an insidious enemy,” O'Neal told the magazine, according to this May 2009 report of PopCrunch.com.

O'Neal has also written a memoir about his life with Farrah Fawcett titled “Both of Us”, which is coming out in May.

O'Neal won Academy Award in 1970 for his role in “Love Story”, and remained at No.2 as the best American actor in 1973 at the Box Office.