Published Sep 15, 2026

At Higher Risk for Prostate Cancer as a Black Man, This Survivor, 70, Credits Early Screening With ‘Saving His Life’

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The Importance of Prostate Cancer Screening For Black Men

Kenneth Rogers, 70, was diagnosed with prostate cancer after a routine checkup revealed an elevated PSA level, despite having no symptoms.
Protein-Specific Antigen (PSA) screening is a simple blood test and is the first step in detecting potential prostate cancer. A primary care physician often initiates the PSA test. If your PSA is elevated, you will typically be referred to a urologist for further workup. Your urologist will usually order additional testing if they suspect prostate cancer.
An imaging test, like an MRI and a biopsy, are often the next steps following abnormal PSA results. Patients will be given a Gleason score from the biopsy to determine how aggressive the cancer may be.
Now cancer-free, Rogers is sharing his experience to raise awareness among Black men and encourage people to prioritize screening and early detection.
Black men face prostate cancer death rates two to four times higher than other men, driven largely by unequal access to high‑quality care; research also shows disadvantaged neighborhoods increase the risk of aggressive disease by 30% for Black men.

Kenneth Rogers, of Little Rock, Arkansas, was 70 when a routine doctor’s visit revealed an elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, ultimately leading to his prostate cancer diagnosis.

Sharing his story with THV11, Rogers, who is now cancer free — wants to use what he went through to raise awareness. He recalls coworkers telling him years ago that Black men face a higher risk of prostate cancer, a fact borne out by research.

According to 2026 data from the American Cancer Society (ACS), Black men are two to four times more likely to die from prostate cancer than men of other racial and ethnic groups.

Across nearly every cancer type, survival rates are lower for Black patients than for white patients—even when the cancer is caught at the same stage and patients share the same socioeconomic status. ACS attributes much of this gap to unequal access to high-quality care, spanning screening, diagnosis, and treatment.

The disparity isn’t just about access, though. A 2024 study in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention found that Black men living in disadvantaged neighborhoods were 30% more likely to develop aggressive prostate cancer than those in more advantaged areas. Among white men, neighborhood disadvantage showed no such effect. The finding points to something beyond socioeconomics alone—researchers suggest race-specific stressors and deeper systemic inequities are likely at work.

Rogers, who was treated at UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, recounted, “I didn’t have any symptoms.

“But because of the problems that exist with Black men, I’d been getting my PSA, biopsies, and follow-up since I was 55-60 years old.”

After further testing, Rogers cancer diagnosis was confirmed, with good news that the cancer had been localized with no spread.

Rogers doctor, urologist Dr. Marcello Bigarella, told THV11, “We have a possibility of doing focal therapy here. So, instead of the classical treatments like removing the prostate or getting radiation to the entire prostate, we can just pinpoint that lesion and destroy that lesion.”

Dr. Bigarella added, “If we caught it early in the localized setting, most men live for decades. They have really good cancer control rates, like 10 years, 20 years, 30 years down the road.”

Rogers described talking about his story as an opportunity to “spread the word,” especially in communities similar to his own, including individuals who may be reluctant to seek testing out of fear.

Rogers, deeply grateful for the support of his loved ones, now encourages others to prioritize their health and get screened.

He advises, “Would you rather get the news early, and then that you can stay on top of something, or would you rather wait till it becomes some devastating news?

“It’s always better to be on top of a situation or in front of a situation rather than behind it.”

Prostate Health Among Black Men

Since Black men tend to be diagnosed with prostate cancer at younger ages compared to other racial groups, the new guidelines state Black men should consider screening at 40 years old since this demographic group is regarded as a “high-risk population.”

WATCH: How to Address Racial Disparities in Cancer Care

The “New England Journal of Medicine” highlights that Black men are at a higher risk of getting prostate cancer. Researchers, consisting of primary care, urology, medical and radiation oncology, translational science, and patient advocates, reviewed 287 studies using systematic review protocols to develop prostate cancer screening guidelines specific to Black men.

They determined, for Black men (higher-risk):

Prostate cancer tends to develop 3–9 years earlier in Black men.
Early discussions about PSA screening should begin in the early 40s.
Baseline PSA testing between the ages of 40 and 45 is recommended.
Continued screening until age 70, adjusted for PSA levels and health status, could reduce mortality by roughly 30% without a major overdiagnosis risk.

“Few guidelines have outlined specific recommendations for prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based prostate cancer screening among Black men,” researchers for Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) said in its report published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

“Discussions with health care providers about baseline PSA testing should begin by the time Black men are in their early 40s, and modeling data suggest prostate cancer develops 3-9 years earlier in Black men compared to their peers. Lowering the age for baseline PSA testing from 50-55 years to 40-45, followed by regular screening intervals until the age of 70, would reduce prostate cancer mortality in Black men,” the PCF said in its report.

SurvivorNet holds an annual Close the Gap conference to educate, spread awareness, and ultimately work to eliminate racial disparities in cancer care. Our efforts aim to ensure everyone has access to education about cancer, screening recommendations, treatment options, clinical trials, and more.

Prostate Cancer Screening and Warning Signs

When you do get screened for prostate cancer, your doctor will run a few tests.

One of the tests is the protein-specific antigen (PSA) test, a simple blood test that screens for prostate cancer. It looks for more significant amounts of protein-specific antigen 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

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 Task Force recommends that men at average risk between the ages of 55 and 69 years talk with their doctor about the pros and cons of prostate cancer screening.

The American Cancer Society recommends that men at age 50 who are at average risk should begin screening. Men who are at high risk of prostate cancer should begin screening at age 40. Men with a close relative diagnosed with prostate cancer should consider annual screenings in their 30s.

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

What To Know About Screening After Age 70

The prostate cancer screening guidelines offer little to no guidance for men 70 and older. The USPSTF’s recommendation that men refrain from regular screening after age 70 is particularly concerning given recent data released in 2025 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showing that 43% of newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients were 70 or older. The agency adds that from 2003 to 2022, the age range that saw the most prostate cancer cases was 70 and older.

In May of 2025, former president Joe Biden revealed publicly he had been diagnosed with stage prostate cancer at age 82, opening up a very public debate about whether or not older men should be screened routinely.

Former ABC News and Good Morning America Medical Director Dr. Timothy Johnson, recently announced his prostate cancer diagnosis at age 89. He told SurvivorNet that continued prostate cancer screening into a man’s 70s, 80s, and beyond isn’t clear-cut. However, he prefers to lean on the side of caution and continue screening.

“I think all I can really honestly say is after age 75, I would personally, if I’m in good health and mentally intact, continue yearly testing for a few years. If it remains very low, you might test every two years or, eventually, every three years,” Dr. Johnson said.

“But if it starts increasing during your yearly testing after 75, keep an eye on it; if it reaches a certain threshold, discuss potential treatment options. So I think we have to be very flexible and not rigidly follow those guidelines.”

Importance Of Screening For Prostate Cancer

If You’re Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer, What to Expect for Treatment?

After testing and establishing your risk, your doctor will discuss possible treatment options. These may range from active surveillance to more aggressive options, including surgery and radiation therapy.

WATCH: Coping emotionally after a prostate cancer diagnosis

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.

WATCH: Sexual Function Recovery After Prostate Cancer 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.

“Erectile function is so sensitive when we’re dealing with prostate cancer because the nerves that are critical for this function wrap around the prostate; they’re just so intimately connected to the prostate that they can be damaged from a surgical removal of the prostate or through radiation treatment,” Dr. Isla Garraway, a staff urologist in the Veterans Administration (VA) Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, told SurvivorNet.

Doctors often recommend sexual counseling after prostate cancer treatment to help improve sexual function. This approach actively addresses the psychological, emotional, and relationship impacts on sexual health.

Radiation therapy is often done when prostate cancer is caught early and confined to the prostate gland.

Finding Resources And Support

For patients and families navigating prostate cancer or another serious illness like a cancer diagnosis, gaining access to new treatment or trials can feel overwhelming. That’s why SurvivorNet encourages patients to use its proprietary Clinical Trial Finder, a free tool designed to help patients identify relevant trials quickly and easily.

Every year, new early-phase studies come online, each one representing another step forward in disease management.

SurvivorNet’s AI-powered “My Health Questions” tool was also built with patient needs in mind, to give patients and their caregivers access to health information vetted by professionals right when they need it.