Prostate Cancer Screening
- Prostate cancer survivor Al Roker, 68, welcomed TV legend Barbara Walters at his wedding to journalist Deborah Roberts; Roberts recalls how kind and gracious the late Walters was with her parents.
- Roker is a prostate cancer survivor, after having been diagnosed with the disease in 2020, thanks to a PSA test. PSA tests are the screening method used to screen for prostate cancer. These tests look for PSA in the bloodstream, which could indicate the presence of prostate cancer.
- People who have a family history of prostate cancer or other cancers should begin screening for prostate cancer earlier than the average person. The current recommendation is to begin screening at age 50 if you have an average risk of prostate cancer.
- Roker opted for surgery to treat his prostate cancer. Other prostate cancer treatments include hormone therapy, radiation, and chemotherapy.
Roberts writes fondly on Instagram, accompanied by wedding photos from the pair’s September 16, 1995 wedding, how Walters treated Roberts’ parents so kindly. She writes, “Monday memories. Ran across these snaps of Barbara Walters from my wedding. I will never forget how gracious she was with my starry eyed mom and dad….”
Al Roker's Cancer Battle
In November 2020, Roker announced on-air that he had been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. The longtime TODAY show co-host continued to be public about his battle with prostate cancer, and transparent about his treatment. Roker opted for surgery to treat his prostate cancer. Other prostate cancer treatments include hormone therapy, radiation, and chemotherapy. Roker recalls how a routine exam revealed his prostate cancer. Thinking everything would be okay, he told his wife she didn't need to accompany him to his appointment. "It was a scheduled 'let's go over the results of your biopsy' [type of thing]," says Roker. "The doctor closed the door and told Al, 'I like to give these results in person,'" he recalls in an earlier interview.Roker remembers how he thought for a moment: "Is there any way I could do this without telling [my wife] Deborah? Because she'll be furious she wasn't here." Roker says Deborah's journalistic skills went into "over-drive" after his diagnosis.
How Do You Screen for Prostate Cancer?
Roker has been an advocate for screening for this disease, stressing the need for men to get prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests. PSA tests are the screening method used to screen for prostate cancer. These tests look for PSA in the bloodstream, which could indicate the presence of prostate cancer.
People who have a family history of prostate cancer or other cancers should begin screening for prostate cancer earlier than the average person. The current recommendation is to begin screening at age 50 if you have an average risk of prostate cancer.
Urologic oncologist at Cedars-Sinai, Dr. Edwin Posadas, says it’s important to notify your doctor about your risk factor, such as having a family history of prostate cancer. He tells SurvivorNet in an earlier interview, “We know as doctors that there are certain men who are at high risk for having prostate cancer. Men of African descent, for example, fall immediately into a high-risk category.”
Dr. Posadas continues, “Men whose fathers or brothers had prostate cancer are at two to three times the risk of the general man living in America of having prostate cancer. Those pieces of information are critical to bring forward in an examination when you’re seeing your doctor.”
People at a high risk of developing prostate cancer should start screening at age 40 or 45, depending upon your specific circumstances. Speak with your doctor about what's best for you, and advocate for your health lead each doctor's appointment with a plan.
When Should I Get Tested for Prostate Cancer?
Finding Support Through Hard Times
Losing a loved one, like a dear friend, is challenging. Grief is inevitable. When you’re going through a difficult loss or a challenging circumstance such as a cancer diagnosis it’s critical to reach out for help and use the resources available. Resources like therapy, counseling, social workers, and psychology, can all be helpful paths to feeling better when you are grieving, or feeling anxious, depressed, or sad.
It’s normal to feel down when you’re going through a difficult time. Dr. Scott Irwin, the Director of Supportive Care Services at Cedars-Sinai, affirms this to SurvivorNet in an earlier interview. Dr. Irwin says, “Grief comes in waves. It often gets better over time, but at certain days, it can look like depression. And other days, people look perfectly normal and can function.”
Dr. Irwin encourages using tools like therapy and support groups during challenging times. “Talk therapy really is the way to deal with these emotions,” he says. “It’s about meeting the individual patient where they are and their feelings.”
Dealing With Grief Related to Health Problems
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