Checking In On Prostate Cancer Survivor Al Roker
- Al Roker recently shared that he’s been absent from TODAY because he’s been in the hospital for blood clots in his leg and lungs. Thankfully, he’s doing better now and hopes to be back to work soon.
- Roker announced he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in March 2020. Since undergoing treatment, he's been given consistent 'all-clears,' but he'll be doing lifelong testing to make sure the cancer does not return.
- Roker also had gastric bypass surgery in 2002. Since that surgery and his continued efforts to live a healthy life, he’s lost over 100 pounds.
- Prostate cancer, the most common form of cancer in men, can sometimes be misdiagnosed based on results from a PSA test. Still, our experts maintain that the PSA tests are helpful, and you should talk with your doctor about your own risks for the cancer and screening options.
- Symptoms of the disease are inconsistent and hard to pinpoint but may include changes in urinary function like urinating more or less often or waking up at night to go more than usual.
Roker recently shared a photo of a beautiful flower bouquet for his 864,000 Instagram followers with a short message relating to the cause of his absence.
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According to the Mayo Clinic, blood clots are “gel-like clumps of blood” that are beneficial when they form in response to an injury or a cut by plugging the injured blood vessel to stop bleeding. But when blood clots form inside your veins without dissolving naturally, they may pose a problem like in the case of Roker.
“These may require medical attention, especially if they are in your legs or are in more critical locations, such as your lungs and brain,” the Mayo Clinic states.
It’s unclear what caused Roker’s blood clots, but we’re happy to hear that the resilient cancer survivor is on the road to recovery.
Al Roker's Prostate Cancer Battle
As mentioned before, the blood clots are not the first time Al Roker has been faced with a harrowing medical issue. After almost delaying a doctor's appointment because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Roker was diagnosed with an aggressive type of prostate cancer. He shared the news of his diagnosis on the TODAY show in March 2020 and explained that he would be having surgery.
"My first reaction was, 'I just want this out. I don't want to do radiation,'" Roker previously told SurvivorNet of the prostate cancer that was growing inside his body. "At the end of the day, I thought, 'surgery first,' then I thought, 'no, maybe radiation,' then I went back and (said), 'no, surgery.' That was that. Once I make a decision, I don't really second guess it."
His procedure took place in November 2020 and resulted in the removal of his prostate and some surrounding tissue and lymph nodes. This type of surgery a radical prostatectomy is known to effect a man's sexual function since it requires removing the seminal vesicles.
"There really was no pain," Roker said on how he felt post-operation. "The biggest issue, obviously, is sexual function, and there's treatment for that. I'm happy to say everything's working fine."
The biggest issue for Roker actually came during surgical recovery.
"To be honest, the hardest part really there's a little incontinence (loss of bladder control) to begin with that eventually goes away to me," he said. "The hardest part was that initial week after surgery where you're wearing a catheter (a soft tube that drains urine from the bladder). But even that was not onerous, it's just a little inconvenient, but you know that it's temporary."
Since then, Roker has been given consistent 'all-clears,' though he'll be doing lifelong testing to make sure the cancer does not return.
And even Roker’s cancer surgery was not the first time he had a major operation for the sake of his health. In 2002, Roker, who had long struggled with his weight, opted to have gastric bypass surgery to drastically limit his food consumption. Since that surgery and his continued efforts to live a healthy life, he’s lost over 100 pounds.
Understanding Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men except for skin cancers. 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.
RELATED: Prostate Cancer: Overview
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," Dr. Edwin Posadas, director of translational oncology and the medical director of the Urologic Oncology Program at Cedars-Sinai, explained.
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
Doctors 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.
Prostate Cancer Screening
In the United States, many prostate cancer cases are caught with screening examinations. Screening guidelines depend on your risk for the disease. Age, race/ethnicity, geography, family history and gene changes are the main risk factors for prostate cancer. You should talk with your doctor regardless, but here are some things to consider when gauging your risk for the disease:
- 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.
It's not clear if the benefits of prostate cancer screening outweigh the risks for most men. Nevertheless, screening can be life-saving, and it's important to at least discuss the pros and cons of screening and your risk factors for the disease with your doctor.
When Should I Get Tested for Prostate Cancer?
Prostate cancer screening methods look for possible signs of the disease, but they can't determine for sure if you have cancer. The only way to know for sure if the patient has prostate cancer is with a prostate biopsy a procedure in which small samples of the prostate are removed and examined under a microscope. But generally speaking, screening for prostate cancer involves a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test and a digital rectal exam to feel the prostate gland.
"It's slightly uncomfortable but painless, and takes less than 30 seconds," Dr. Posadas said of these methods. "The amount of information that is gained from that is tremendous, and it can be a life-and-death type decision that is made."
But it's important to note that the PSA test is not perfect. The prostate-specific antigen is a protein secreted by the prostate gland. Men have a small amount of PSA in their blood all the time, but large amounts can be a sign of cancer because when cancer cells grow, PSA spills into the blood.
An elevated PSA test, however, does not always mean you have prostate cancer. It can simply reflect that your prostate is enlarged which is common or it could signal an infection or inflammation. Because of this, the PSA test is controversial since high levels may lead to over-treatment in men who are more likely to die from something else. Regardless, our experts maintain that the PSA tests are helpful, and you should talk with your doctor about your own risks for the cancer and screening options.
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