Prostate Cancer Survivor Rod Stewart, 76, Cheekily Encourages Men to Get Their PSA Tests: ‘One Up the Bum, No Harm Done’

The Maggie May singer says in a new Instagram story, “This is Rod Stewart and I'm at the prostate center. I just want to let you know it's a very dangerous disease. I've had it. There are no symptoms. Get your PSA done as soon as possible. One up the bum, no harm done. Come on, guys."

Screening for Prostate Cancer

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, says 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."

Related: Why You May Have a Greater Risk When it Comes to Prostate Cancer

If you have a family history of prostate cancer, you should begin screening for the disease earlier than age 55. For those with a family history, Dr. David Wise says 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," advsies Dr. Wise.

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

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. "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.

As Stewart says in his Instagram story this week, there’s no one definite symptom for this disease, and that’s why regular screening is especially important. Dr. Edwin Posadas, a urologic oncologist at Cedars-Sinai, says in an earlier interview, “Prostate cancer is a very odd disease in that it doesn’t have a particular symptom. I could not tell a man, this is really the bad sign that you’ve got prostate cancer.”

“So when men think about things in their urinary tract, they often think about urinary frequency,” says Dr. Posadas. “My urination is different. I’m peeing too much. I’m peeing too little. I’m waking up at night to pee. Is this a bad thing? Possibly, cancer would be on the list of possibilities, but the good news is it’s not the only thing that’s on that list. So why is this important? One, if your body’s telling you something, you should listen.”

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

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