Leon Jay Williams Says His Thoracic Duct Was Accidentally Cut During Cancer Surgery, Affecting His Ability to Eat

Singaporean actor Leon Jay Williams, who was diagnosed with stage two thyroid cancer in August, recently shared more about his treatment and recovery.

In an interview with Taiwanese media, Leon revealed that he underwent two surgeries within one week to remove two tumours — one measuring 3 cm and the other 1.1 cm, as well as a round of radiotherapy.

Although he is now close to a full recovery, Leon said his second surgery was not without complications.

During the procedure, the doctor accidentally cut his thoracic duct, a vital channel responsible for fat absorption in the body, resulting in severe dietary restrictions.  

“The doctor told me to try not to eat anything containing fat at all — it has to be completely fat free,” he said.

For a period, he could only consume fruit juice, skim milk, and water.

“That period was really hard to get through,” he said.

As most outside food contains at least trace amounts of fat, he was limited to home-cooked meals.

His wife prepared various clear soups and sandwiches daily, while he also had to return to the hospital once a week, spending an entire day there for follow-up treatment.

“I used to handle many things at home myself, but during those months I was like a disabled person, needing others to take care of everything. Emotionally, it was actually very difficult.”

Though about 99 per cent of the tumour has been removed, there’s still fear that it may spread.

Nodules have since been detected in his lungs, requiring ongoing monitoring every three months, along with strict attention to rest and diet.

“If they don’t grow any further, then it’s fine. I just hope I won’t need another surgery.”