Ryan Reynolds undergoes 'potentially life-saving' surgery

Ryan Reynolds undergoes procedure on camera in a new YouTube video to raise awareness of cancer. Photo / Youtube@Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Reynolds had an "extremely subtle polyp" removed in a "potentially life-saving" colonoscopy.

The Deadpool actor, 45, underwent the procedure with his friend Rob McElhenney, also 45, on camera in a new YouTube video to raise awareness of cancer.

Dad-of-three Ryan, who shares his kids with actress wife Blake Lively, 35, joked he only agreed to publicly broadcast the procedure if Rob learned Welsh.

He told viewers: "It's a simple step that could literally, and I mean literally, save your life."

Following his 30-minute rectal exam, Ryan was told by his doctor an "extremely subtle polyp" had been found.

The medic told the actor: "This was potentially life-saving for you – I'm not kidding, I'm not being overly dramatic.

"This is exactly why you do this. You had no symptoms."

The doctor added after he removed the growth: "You are interrupting the natural history of a disease of something of a process that could have ended up developing into cancer and causing all sorts of problems."

Rob was found to have had three polyps, but was told they were "not a big deal".

The footage was produced in partnership with Lead from Behind and the Colorectal Cancer Alliance.

It comes after Ryan admitted about his mental health: "I've had anxiety my whole life really. And you know, I feel like I have two parts of my personality, that one takes over when that happens."