Dustin Hoffman confirms 2013 bladder cancer diagnosis

Dustin Hoffman has revealed that he was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2013.

In August 2013, the Oscar-winning actor's publicist announced that he had been successfully treated for an unspecified form of cancer. She told the press that the cancer was detected early and he had been "surgically cured".

During an appearance on the Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend podcast, the 89-year-old revealed he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer.

"I had bladder cancer. I'm not ashamed to say it. And it was the luckiest thing that ever happened to me," he declared.

The Graduate actor explained that he went to a Los Angeles hospital with what he thought was a urinary tract infection and the doctor said, "Well, just for the hell of it, let's do a scan."

Hoffman and his wife Lisa received his diagnosis while having breakfast in the hospital cafeteria.

"One of those moments you never forget. It's breakfast time in the cafeteria at UCLA. And Lisa and I are sitting having breakfast there. And I see the way she's walking toward me. This is not a good walk," he recalled.

"She doesn't look at me. She just looks down and I say, you know, 'Is it cancer?' And she just nods her head," he continued. "I stood up and I said, 'I got to go outside.' That was the first thing I said. I had to go outside. I had to get a breath."

While outside, the Rain Man star encountered a cancer specialist and discussed his diagnosis.

"I said, 'So what does that mean?' He says, 'Well, you know, it means you have a tumour.' He says, 'But you're lucky,'" Hoffman remembered. "And with me, (the tumour) wasn't connected to anything. That means it was all in itself. So you dodged a bullet."

The Tootsie star was told he could wait a few days before having the tumour removed, but he wanted the surgery as soon as possible.

Hoffman appeared on the podcast to discuss his new memoir, Look At Me, which is out now.