Talk show icon Larry King reveals secret cancer fight

Larry King is forever grateful he went for his annual check-up at the doctor in July this year.

The 83-year-old TV show host has been feeling fine but the doctors found something that wasn’t so fine, a cloud of his chest x-ray that was later diagnosed as stage one lung cancer.

He’s since had surgery to remove the malignant mass, and was able to go back to work after about a week, but although he didn’t say anything about it at the time he is is now wanting to remind people not to take their health for granted.

“When I had my heart attack and was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes [in 1987] and prostate cancer [in 1999,] I talked about it and felt that I helped a lot of people,” King told People. “I want people to make sure to get annual x-rays.”

King used to smoke three packs a day and gave up cold turkey after having a heart attack 30 years ago.

“I never thought it would happen to me. I saw all the warnings but I never paid attention. I loved smoking but when I had the heart attack that February of 1987 I stopped that day and never reached for one again. It was easy for me because I got scared to death.”

King is best known for his own shows, Larry King Live and Larry King Now, but he’s also been known to act in a movie or two, most often playing himself.

He did, however, voice the Ugly Stepsister in Shrek 2 and Doris in Shrek the Third.

How often do you go for a health check with the doctor?