Oscar winner's cancer battle

'Officer and a Gentleman' star Lou Gossett Jr has prostate...

10:47 10 February 2010

Oscar winning actor Louis Gossett Jr has revealed that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

The veteran star who won numerous awards for his supporting role in the classic romance 'An Officer and a Gentleman' has started an intensive treatment programme to battle the disease.

Gossett has stated that the cancer is in its early stages and he's keeping optimistic and not letting it get in the way of his schedule.

He said: "I count this diagnosis among the many challenges I have faced in my life and overcome. I expect this to be no different."

Gossett made the revelation on Tuesday in a bid to encourage other black men to undergo regular and early examinations to prevent the spread of the cancer.

The 73-year-old actor added that he wanted to "set an example for the large number of African-American men who are victims of this disease because of the comparatively low emphasis in our community on preventive examinations and early treatment."