Legendary Music Producer an Advocate for Cancer Patients
- Legendary music producer Quincy Jones is less than a month away from celebrating his 91st birthday. His career included producing legendary performers such as Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra. He also survived two brain aneurysms. Jones is also a staunch prostate cancer awareness advocate, although he was not diagnosed himself.
- Men at average risk of prostate cancer should consider annual screenings around age 40. Men at higher risk for the disease or have a family history of the disease should begin screening at age 40 or younger.
- It’s important to remember that most prostate cancer can be caught with screening exams, which include a digital rectal exam (DRE) and a protein-specific antigen (PSA) test. Treatment is based on whether the cancer is “low risk,” “intermediate risk,” or “high risk.”
Music producer Quincy Jones, 90, is less than a month away from his 91st birthday. His impact on music includes monster hits like Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and collaborations with Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, and countless other stars. When he’s not working on music, he advocates for prostate cancer awareness.
View this post on InstagramRead MoreJones and his daughter Rashida participated in a PSA for prostate cancer a decade ago. In the video clip, Quincy Jones said, “As a father, I cherish the special moments in life and understand how they can fly by in an instant. Prostate cancer has affected dear friends and family of mine.”He ended his message by encouraging men to talk with their doctor about prostate cancer. Although Quincy Jones didn’t face a cancer diagnosis, he has faced health challenges in the past. According to Sportskeeda, in 1974, he was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke says a brain aneurysm (also called a cerebral aneurysm) is a “weak or thin spot on an artery in the brain that balloons or bulges out and fills with blood.” This bulging places pressure on the nerves or brain tissue, risking a stroke, brain damage, or death.
“While operating for 7.5 hours, my doctors discovered a second aneurysm that was ready to blow, so they had to schedule a second operation. During this time, it didn’t look too promising,” Jones wrote on his Facebook page, recounting the harrowing experience.
Luckily, Jones was able to recover. Jones’ former wife and Rashida’s mom, Peggy Lipton, was diagnosed with colon cancer. Lipton and Jones were married for 14 years before divorcing in 1990. Lipton died after battling the cancer in 2019 at age 72.
Jones said at the time of her passing, “There is absolutely no combination of words that can express the sadness I feel after losing my beloved Peggy Lipton…My wife of 14 years,” Jones wrote in an Instagram post.
“We shared many, many beautiful memories, and most importantly, we shared two incredible daughters, Pie (Kidada) and Doonkie (Rashida),” he continued.
View this post on Instagram
Nowadays, Jones appears to be enjoying copious amounts of time with his family, as his social media posts would suggest.
It’s important to note Quincy Jones, the legendary music producer, should not be confused with comedian Quincy Jones. The 39-year-old comedian was diagnosed with stage 4 mesothelioma in 2015 while performing on a comedy tour. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says mesothelioma is a form of cancer that “forms in the thin tissue that lines many of your internal organs.”
Helping You with Prostate Cancer Resources
Ongoing Efforts to Promote Prostate Cancer Awareness
Quincy Jones’ efforts to encourage men to be screened for prostate cancer remain relevant today, roughly a decade after the PSA campaign began. The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates “299,010 new cases of prostate cancer” will occur this year. The ACS adds that “the incidence rate has increased (since 2014) by 3 percent per year overall and by about 5 percent per year for advanced-stage prostate cancer.”
WATCH: Prostate cancer screening.
When you do get screened for prostate cancer, your doctor will run a few tests.
One of the tests is the PSA test, a simple blood test that screens for prostate cancer. It looks for more significant amounts of protein-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood. An elevated PSA test does not always mean you have prostate cancer. It could also reflect that your prostate is enlarged, which is common, or it could signal an infection or inflammation.
Your doctor may also conduct a digital rectal exam (DRE) to check your prostate for lumps.
Depending on the results of these tests, imaging scans and a biopsy may be ordered.
WATCH: How Gleason Grade Determines Treatment
After tests, your doctor analyzes the results to give you a Gleason Score. This score ranges from 6 to 10. The higher the score, the more aggressive the cancer.
This score, along with your other test results, helps doctors determine if your cancer is “low risk,” “intermediate risk,” or “high risk.”
More on Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. It starts in the walnut-shaped prostate gland between the rectum and bladder, producing the fluid that nourishes sperm. Fortunately, most prostate cancer is caught with screening examinations.
Prostate cancer does not always behave the same in every man it impacts. The cancer can be considered “low-risk” and can be slow-growing, and treatment might not be necessary. In other men, the cancer may grow faster or more aggressively, requiring more immediate treatment. Because of this, there is some debate about screening.
The United States Preventive Services Taskforce recommends men at average risk between the ages of 55-69 years old should talk with their doctor about the pros and cons of prostate cancer screening. Most doctors agree that men over the age of 70 do not need screening.
SurvivorNet experts suggested that men consider factors like their family history, genes, and age when deciding whether and when to screen.
Symptoms of prostate cancer may include:
- Urinating more often
- Waking up in the middle of the night to pee
- Blood in your urine
- Trouble getting an erection
- Pain or burning when you urinate
- Pain in your back, hips, thighs, or other bones
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue
Treatment Options for Prostate Cancer
After testing and establishing your risk, your doctor will discuss possible treatment options. Treatment ranges from “active surveillance,” usually for men with low-risk prostate cancer, which again involves regular testing every six months to monitor the prostate and check for any progression of the disease.
More aggressive treatment options include surgery and radiation therapy.
Surgery is an option for men with any risk group of prostate cancer that hasn’t spread outside of the prostate gland. The type of surgery most often used is called a radical prostatectomy.
During the procedure, the surgeon removes the entire prostate, along with some tissue around it, including the seminal vesicles that release fluid into the semen. Your doctor can perform this through a traditional open procedure with one large or several small incisions called laparoscopic surgery.
Surgery side effects may include erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence. Fortunately, the side effects are usually temporary, and there are ways to help you manage them.
Radiation therapy is often done when prostate cancer is caught early and confined to the prostate gland.
Questions for Your Doctor
If you have experienced symptoms associated with prostate cancer or have a screening coming up, here are some questions you may ask your doctor:
- If I have elevated PSA levels, what could be causing that besides cancer?
- How long will it take to learn if my PSA levels warrant further testing?
- What are the treatment options that are best suited for me based on my risk level?
- What financial resources exist to help me with the costs associated with treatment?
- How long will my potential treatment prevent me from working or continuing normal activities?
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