Comedian Paul Mooney Died of a Heart Attack, But Did You Know He Performed Through a Battle with Prostate Cancer?

Mooney also wrote for groundbreaking TV shows like In Living Color, Sanford & Son and Chappelle’s Show. In a recent interview with TMZ, comedic star Dave Chappelle says Mooney “will be sorely missed and wildly remembered.” He says Mooney paved the way for comedians today, and he’ll personally make sure people remember his legacy.

Mooney will also be remembered for his acting skills. He played Sam Cooke in 1978′s The Buddy Holly Story and Junebug in Spike Lee's 2000 film Bamboozled. According to the Associated Press, Mooney said there would have been more opportunities, but the film industry was frightened of "a proud black man like me."

"Whatever that thing is that white people like in Blacks, I don't have it," he wrote in his 2007 memoir Black Is the New White. "Maybe it's my arrogance or my self-assurance or the way I carry myself, but whatever it is, I don't have it."

Mooney continued to perform as recently as 2014, even after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, according to the AP. But Mooney was very quiet about his cancer journey. We don’t know much about his diagnosis or treatment, but we do know that prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. According to a 2014 story by Rolling Out, Mooney had been battling the disease for well over a year at the time, but various news organizations never seemed to get an official ‘yes’ on the question of his cancer diagnosis at the time.

Understanding Prostate Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, about one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. The disease begins in the walnut-shaped prostate gland located between the rectum and bladder. This gland produces the fluid that nourishes sperm.

Symptoms of the disease are inconsistent and hard to pinpoint. "Prostate cancer is a very odd disease in that it doesn't have a particular symptom," explains Dr. Edwin Posadas, director of translational oncology and the medical director of the Urologic Oncology Program at Cedars-Sinai. But changes in urinary function like urinating more or less often or waking up at night to go more than usual could be a sign of the disease. However, it’s important to note that these potential symptoms could also could be caused by a urinary tract infection or even an enlargement of the prostate gland (which is not cancer).

There's No One Definitive Symptom for Prostate Cancer, But There Are Clues

Expert physicians that have spoken with SurvivorNet shared a hopeful outlook when considering a prostate cancer diagnosis, because there are many treatment options, and there’s been significant treatment progress over the past decade. Surgical and radiation options, for example, have made improvements in reducing side effects of treatment while still providing excellent cure rates. Even for men with an advanced-stage diagnosis, many new options exist to treat prostate cancer and help them maintain an excellent quality of life.

The Importance of Screening

In the United States, most prostate cancer cases are caught with screening examinations. Screening guidelines greatly depend on your risk for the disease. The American Cancer Society cites age, race/ethnicity, geography, family history and gene changes as main risk factors for prostate cancer. It’s important to talk with your doctor regardless, but here are some things to consider when gauging your risk for the disease, according to the American Cancer Society:

• Men younger than 40 are less likely to get prostate cancer, but age-related risk quickly rises after age 50. Approximately six of ten cases of prostate cancer are found in men older than 65.
• Prostate cancer develops more often in African-American men and in Caribbean men of African ancestry than in men of other races, and these men tend to develop the disease at a younger age.
• Prostate cancer is most common in North America, northwestern Europe, Australia and on Caribbean islands. It is less common in Asia, Africa, Central America and South America. The reasons for this risk factor are unclear, but more intensive screening and lifestyle differences like diet might be contributing factors.
• Most prostate cancers occur in men without a family history of the disease, but it’s still important to look at your family history because prostate cancer does seem to run in some families. Having a father or brother with prostate cancer, for instance, more than doubles a man's risk of developing the disease with a higher risk for men with a brother with prostate cancer than those with a father who have it. The risk is also especially high if a man has several affected relatives that developed the cancer at a younger age.
• Inherited gene changes, or mutations, like that of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes can also elevate risk, but this probably accounts for a small percentage of overall cases.

RELATED: Could A Urine Test Be The Future of Prostate Cancer Screening? Leading Experts Weigh In

Screening for prostate cancer generally involves a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test and a digital rectal exam.

The PSA Blood Test and a Rectal Exam are Vital for Prostate Cancer Screening

"It's slightly uncomfortable but painless, and takes less than 30 seconds," Dr. Posadas says. "The amount of information that is gained from that is tremendous, and it can be a life-and-death type decision that is made."

RELATED: 'TODAY' Anchor Al Roker's Crucial Reminder to Not Delay Screenings After Almost Canceling His; He Would Not Have Found His 'Aggressive' Prostate Cancer

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