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"Sir Ian McKellen has downplayed the seriousness of his prostate cancer diagnosis. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey actor was quoted earlier in the week saying that he has been living with cancer for the past several years.  &amp;quot;I&amp;#039;ve had it for six or seven years,&amp;quot; McKellen said. &amp;quot;When you have got it, you monitor it, and you have to be careful it doesn&amp;#039;t spread. But if it is contained in the prostate, it&amp;#039;s no big deal.&amp;quot; A discrepancy later emerged when the star&amp;#039;s spokesperson suggested that the quotes were actually from an old interview. McKellen has now taken to Twitter to assure his fans that he is in fine health despite the diagnosis and is checked regularly by his doctors. The actor wrote: &amp;quot;There have been new reports in the press of the old news that I have early prostate cancer. &amp;quot;This was diagnosed six or seven years ago. There is no cause for alarm. I am examined regularly and the cancer is contained. I&amp;#039;ve not needed any treatment.&amp;quot;  McKellen has received a wave of well-wishes from his 244,000 Twitter followers since news of his diagnosis broke. He is currently starring in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey  and also recently signed on to play Magneto again in X-Men: Days of Future Past. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is released on December 13 in the UK, and December 14 in the US. Watch the trailer below:  Photo gallery: &amp;#039;The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey&amp;#039;  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.digitalspy.com/showbiz/news/a444865/ian-mckellen-clarifies-prostate-cancer-reports-no-cause-for-alarm/>