Rod's Cancer Advocacy
- Prostate cancer survivor Rod Stewart raised over $35,000 for a cancer charity; he auctioned off a “chat” with him at the Ritz.
- Stewart was diagnosed with the disease in 2016, following a routine checkup.
- Prostate cancer is detected by PSA (prostate specific antigen) tests; men should start screening for this cancer at age 55, or earlier if there is a family history of prostate cancer.
Rod’s Prostate Cancer Journey
Stewart was first diagnosed with prostate cancer during a routine screening in 2016 when he was 71 years old. And in 2019, he announced that he was in the clear, and cancer-free. Stewart has used his star quality to raise awareness around the disease, too.“I'm in the clear, now, simply because I caught it early. I have so many tests," Stewart said of his diagnosis and subsequent treatment. He urged other men to be aware of prostate cancer and pro-active about their health. "Guys you've really got to go to the doctor … Finger up the bum, no harm done," he joked.
There's No One Definitive Symptom for Prostate Cancer, But There Are Clues
Prostate Cancer Detection
Early detection is key to treating prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is detected by PSA (prostate specific antigen) tests. Dr. James Brooks, a Urologic Oncologist at Stanford Medicine, told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview, “Current guidelines are to start screening at age 55 and continue screening through age 70. The reason for that is prostate cancer diagnosed after age 70 has a reasonably low probability it’s going to take your life because prostate cancer, even in its aggressive forms, when it’s localized is a relatively slow-growing cancer.”
Experts also told SurvivorNet that if you have a family history of prostate cancer, you should begin screening for the disease earlier that age 55. For those with a family history, Dr. David Wise told SurvivorNet in a previous interview they may consider screening as young as 35. “At latest, age 40, but probably even by age 35, they should have an initial PSA,” said Dr. Wise.
The accuracy of PSA tests increases the younger a person is, too. “That PSA test at a younger age, it’s a more accurate test because the prostate has not increased in size,” said Dr. Wise, “which can cause the test to be more difficult to interpret.” He added, “PSA screening saves lives.”
The PSA Blood Test and a Rectal Exam are Vital for Prostate Cancer Screening
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