Three-Time Cancer Survivor Colin Egglesfield Shares the Moment He 'Broke Down'

03/20/2025 05:44 PM

The actor says he learned to lean on other people while undergoing cancer treatment

• Colin Egglesfield, who has struggled with cancer three times, shared the moment he "broke down" while appearing on Let's Be Clear, the podcast founded by Shannen Doherty
• The actor, 52, said he kept his cancer and treatment a secret for three months — until he finally confided in his All My Children director
• He said it's important to "ask for support when you need it" — sharing that asking for help is "courageous"

Colin Egglesfield — who has struggled with cancer three times — shares that at first, he didn't tell anyone about the disease, until he "broke down" on set.

The actor was first diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2006, six months after he'd landed the role of Josh Madden on All My Children; As Egglesfield, now 52, shared while hosting the March 20 episode of Let's Be Clear, the podcast founded by lateBeverly Hills, 90210 star Shannen Doherty, things moved quickly due to his cancer being advanced.

"My doctor told me, 'You've got cancer … I'm scheduling you for surgery.' This was on a Friday," Egglesfield recalled. "Scheduling you for surgery on a Monday. I was in denial. I was like, 'Well, how can that be?' "

He shared that at first, "I started relying on my acting training, and so I decide to be bold, courageous. I decide to be Maximus from Gladiator." 

In the beginning, Egglesfield said he didn't share his diagnosis with his coworkers, explaining that he underwent his post-surgery radiation in secret, after being on set all day. But when his shooting schedule changed — putting his scenes in the afternoon‚ "I scheduled my radiation treatment for the morning, so I went to that, and then I went to work."

"I started feeling tired and sluggish and just sweaty and hot, and I tried to do my scenes," Egglesfield recalled. "The director at the time came up to me and he said, 'Colin, are you alright? You don't look so good.' And I immediately, I just broke down because I realized that I couldn't hold it in any longer."

The actor shared that he'd been keeping his treatment a secret for three months. "I didn't tell anyone at work … It's guy stuff, it's testicular cancer. And I finally realized I couldn't do this alone. I needed to tell people."

The Melrose Placealum continued, "As soon as everyone found out at All My Children, everyone showed up, and they offered to take me to my doctor's appointments, to go with me to help, to bring food to me, and it really helped make me feel supported to be able to go through this experience."

A year later, Egglesfield discovered the cancer had spread to his other testicle, Paradereported; Earlier this year, the actor was diagnosed with cancer a third time — this time, prostate cancer. However, on Feb. 24, the actor posted an update on Instagram sharing that he was "cancer free for the third time."

As he shared on the podcast, "Being told you have cancer for a third time, it's still a scary experience. But what I've realized again, through this third time of going through this, is that now I'm more able and open to be able to communicate to people what I'm going through and what I need."

"This has been an incredible experience because so many people have been able to show up to support me along this journey," he said. "So no matter where you are at or what you're dealing with, again, I would implore you to honor yourself, remember who you are and to ask for support when you need it." 

"It is actually courageous," he said, "and it requires strength to ask for support."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.