Neighbours legend Ian Smith has 'never felt better' amid terminal cancer treatment
'Neighbours' legend Ian Smith has "never felt better" amid his terminal cancer diagnosis, and the Harold Bishop star admitted he is "having the easiest ride" after he was "supposed to die in March".
'Neighbours' legend Ian Smith is having the "easiest ride" amid his terminal cancer diagnosis - after he was "supposed to die in March".
The 86-year-old actor announced in December he was leaving the Australian soap and his iconic role as Harold Bishop after being diagnosed with a "very aggressive non-fixable cancer", but he has responded well to treatment and has "never felt better".
Speaking on Australia's 'The Morning Show', he said: "I have got cancer. I know that because doctors tell me I have. But apart from that... No pain. I was supposed to die in March,
"I am having the easiest ride, seriously!
"I've possibly never felt better. Everyone looks at me and says, ‘Look at your hair!’ "
Ian admitted people are often in disbelief about his curly tresses, after he previously went bald due to cancer treatment.
But his hair started to grow back again after he had immunotherapy, a treatment that helps the immune system recognise and attack cancer cells.
He said: "They are all jealous I've got so much hair.
"I went through the treatment, started to lose my hair and went totally bald.
"I then went onto the immunotherapy and got a head full of hair... not just hair, but curly hair!"
In December, Ian told Australia's Channel 10: "I found out a few months back that I have cancer. That I have a very aggressive non-fixable cancer and they expect me to ... they expect me to die ...
"I want to stay alive with quality as long as I can. If they can do that, I'm very happy. But I wake up every morning hoping there's no pain because I know that's the beginning of the bad part."
But in January, Ian received some positive news amid his cancer battle, after he was thrilled to be told his tumour had shrunk "significantly" and things were more optimistic than he first feared.
He told TV Week: "I did a PET scan and the words, I believe, were 'significant metabolic change, significant shrinkage of tumour'.
"I've gone from a threat of dying this coming March to maybe a few more months... and now, who knows?
"It's not a cure and it won't be a cure, but I certainly have got a year, maybe two. That's amazing. It really is."
