Elton & Rush
- Radio host Rush Limbaugh died of lung cancer this week at age 70, and had an unlikely friend in Elton John, who performed at Limbaugh’s 2010 Florida wedding.
- Elton was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2017 and had surgery to treat his disease.
- Limbaugh received his lung cancer diagnosis in February 2020, and treated his disease during the pandemic.
Related: Did Rush Limbaugh Smoke? And Why That's Not the Most Important Question about Lung Cancer
Read MoreElton’s Prostate Cancer Battle
Elton was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2017 and underwent surgery to treat the disease. The rockstar perform could not be deterred though from his life’s work: He wore a diaper onstage during a concert shortly after he had surgery because he hadn’t yet gained control of his bladder.PSA (prostate specific antigen) tests are used to look for signs of PSA in the blood, which may indicate the presence of prostate cancer. Today's guidelines for this disease call for men to start screening at age 55 and continue until age 70.
Prostate cancer, even when it is aggressive, is typically slow-growing. However, if you are at high-risk (meaning you have a family history or are Black) many doctors say to have an initial screening well before 50some recommend starting at age 40because the risk is about two to three times higher than average.
The PSA Blood Test and a Rectal Exam are Vital for Prostate Cancer Screening
Limbaugh’s Lung Cancer Battle
Limbaugh was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer in Februrary 2020 and shared the news with his listeners. The radio host said, "Stage 4 is, as they say, terminal…it's tough to realize that the days where I do not think I'm under a death sentence are over.”
“We all know that we're going to die at some point. But when you have a terminal disease diagnosis that has a time frame to it, then that puts a different psychological and even physical awareness to it,” Rush told listeners.
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