Edward James Olmos has said he is "changed totally" after being brought "close to death" while secretly fighting throat cancer.
The actor, who played Martin Castillo in Miami Vice, has revealed he underwent chemotherapy and radiation to overcome the disease.
Edward said the treatment "attacked my throat" and admitted doctors were unsure how it would affect his speech.
"This would be the first time publicly I'll be coming out and saying it, but I had throat cancer.
"I just finished getting through it. December 20 was my last radiation and the week before I finished my chemo," he said during an appearance on the Mando and Friends podcast.
The 76-year-old said he received the treatment "for months and months".
"I still have a bump where my lymph nodes were, they burned them out because they shot this area with radiation," he admitted.
Edward had five doctors during his treatment.
They told him: "We do not know what you're going to sound like.
"We're shooting your vocal chords, we're shooting your throat where you eat, where you swallow, where you talk, where you breath, everything goes through here. So we're shooting it."
Edward explained: "It becomes the hardest place to shoot, to use radiation and chemo.
"A lot of my friends have passed because of this. It's a very strong disease. Cancer is period, but in the throat it's really difficult."
He said the treatment "took a lot" out of him and he ended up dropping 3.9 stone, as well as losing a lot of muscle.
The award-winning actor said he has been swimming and rowing over the past few months to try and rebuild his strength.
Edward then spoke candidly about his treatment experience, admitting there were times when his body gave up.
"There were times in the months I was undergoing the treatments that the body gives up and I didn't want to take my food through my stomach.
"They wanted to put tubes in and feed me nutrients because I couldn't swallow," he revealed.
"They had to get 2,500 calories into my body every day. That was ridiculous, that was so hard."
Edward said he has been "changed" by his cancer experience and has a new-found appreciation for life.
"It was an experience that changed me, it changed me totally. The understanding of how wonderful this life is.
"I've been through some experiences that have gotten me close to death, but that was really close."
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