Will Reeve, Son of Christopher Reeve, Reveals Testicular Cancer Diagnosis

ABC News correspondent Will Reeve, the son of the late actor Christopher Reeve, has publicly disclosed his diagnosis with testicular cancer. Reeve, 34, shared his health battle, stating, “I was raised to share one’s struggles if, in doing so, that might help others.” He is currently cancer-free following surgery and chemotherapy.

Reeve discovered a lump in his left testicle, which an ultrasound confirmed as testicular cancer. He underwent an orchiectomy, the surgical removal of the affected testicle, which revealed an embryonal carcinoma diagnosis—an aggressive form of testicular cancer often seen in younger to middle-aged adults. To prevent the cancer's spread, he had a second surgery to remove numerous lymph nodes through a retroperitoneal lymph node dissection.

Reeve also described a month of chemotherapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan, detailing challenging side effects such as bone pain, tinnitus, night sweats, blood clots, and headaches. "I want folks to know that this is a thing that can happen," Reeve told ABC News. "It’s shocking. It’s weird. It’s slightly awkward to talk about just because of what we’re really discussing here, but that you end up okay, almost always."

Testicular cancer is diagnosed through a physical examination, imaging scans, blood tests, and a biopsy. The specific type of cancer is then identified to guide treatment.

The two primary types are seminoma, which tends to affect older adults, and nonseminoma, which includes embryonal carcinoma and typically impacts younger individuals, growing and spreading more rapidly.

While any male can develop testicular cancer, risk factors include age, with most cases occurring in individuals between 15 and 44 years old. About half of all diagnoses happen in men in their 20s and 30s. Other risk factors include an undescended testicle (cryptorchidism), a family history of the disease, a prior testicular cancer diagnosis in one testicle, and certain medical conditions like HIV infection or Klinefelter Syndrome. White men also have a higher incidence compared to other demographic groups.

Testicular cancer is considered highly treatable, with an overall five-year survival rate of approximately 95%. Early detection, often through noticing a painless lump, is crucial for a simpler and more successful treatment process.