Roker described his situation as a “good news–bad news kind of thing.” On the positive side, his cancer was identified early; on the negative end, doctors have told him that the cancer is “a little aggressive.” Roker said he decided to share his diagnosis with the public to help inform other men about the risks of prostate cancer so they can be screened and take action if necessary. “If you detect it early, this is a really treatable disease,” he said. “And it’s why I wanted to take you along my journey, so we can all learn together how to educate and protect the men in our lives. I don’t want people thinking, ‘Oh, poor Al,’ you know, because I’m gonna be okay.”
A Serious Risk for Many Men — Especially African Americans
The American Cancer Society (ACS) says that about 1 in 9 men can expect to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. And it is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Black men — about 1 in 7 will get it in their lifetimes. About 6 cases in 10 are diagnosed in men who are 65 or older, and the average age at diagnosis is 66, which is exactly how old Roker is. Although prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men after lung cancer, the ACS points out that most men diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it.
A Simple Screening That Can Detect a ‘Silent Killer’
Louis Potters, MD, the chairman of the department of radiation medicine at Northwell Health and a professor at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra Northwell in New Hyde Park, New York, praises Roker for encouraging men to be proactive about their health. “I think it’s great for Al Roker to come forward about this as a way of communicating to other men to know about the importance of screening for prostate cancer,” he says. “The role of PSA screening is important for all men over the age of 50, and in particular for African American men.” Because Black men face a higher risk, the American Cancer Society advises this population to consider a screening starting at age 45. Men who have a first-degree relative (father or brother) diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age (younger than age 65) may also want to be screened by age 45 or younger. The Prostate Cancer Foundation recommends that men discuss screening with their doctor starting around age 40. Dr. Potters stresses that the PSA test is vital because most men who have the cancer will not experience any symptoms whatsoever. By the time symptoms appear, it is often too late to cure the disease. Because of this, many health organizations, including the Prostate Cancer Free Foundation and Piedmont Health Care call prostate cancer a “silent killer.” “Screening for prostate cancer through use of the blood test and undergoing a digital rectal exam helps find prostate cancer six to ten years earlier than we would otherwise find it in the absence of screening,” says Christopher A. Warlick, MD, head of the department of urology at the University of Minnesota Medical School and a member of the Masonic Cancer Center. “This is typically at a time when it is far more curable than waiting until symptoms develop, by which time, many cases will be incurable.” The prostate is a small gland that sits below the bladder in men. It produces a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) that circulates in the blood; a simple blood test can provide a measure of PSA, and elevated amounts can point to developing cancer. “PSA screenings are routinely performed that are a combination of digital rectal exam by your physician and a PSA blood test,” says Potters. “If their PSA is elevated, men should have a discussion with their physicians about what steps they might take ” If levels are particularly high, the doctor may follow up with an MRI screening of the prostate and then a biopsy of the gland to make a final diagnosis. “Hopefully through increased awareness, debunking of misinformation, and normalization of discussions around prostate cancer, we can continue to increase men’s awareness and screening,” Dr. Warlick says. “Celebrities like Al Roker can be very helpful in this way by bringing the attention of the general public to this important topic.” Potters also applauds Roker “for being open about this and creating this discussion. It’s vital for men to understand the importance of being screened.”
