Al Roker's Incredible Year
- Over a year ago, TODAY host Al Roker, 66, shared that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. He went through surgery for treatment in November. Now, he’s enjoying life hosting the Tokyo Olympics.
- Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, and begins in the prostate gland, which is located between the rectum and bladder. There are certain risk-factors associated with the disease, including age, race, family history, and genetics.
- For many people facing cancer, making new memories is a goal they reach for so that they can successfully fight through treatment.
In March 2020, Roker shared on TODAY that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and would be going through surgery for treatment. He went through successful surgery in November, and even though he was declared in remission he shared that doctors would still have to keep an eye on whether the disease returns. Despite going through this difficult experience, Roker was showered in support by fans and loved ones and now is enjoying his life to the fullest.
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Navigating Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, and begins in the prostate gland, which is located between the rectum and bladder. There are certain risk-factors associated with the disease, including age, race, family history and genetics.
Thanks to years of research, there are a number of treatment options men can consider when facing this disease. Oftentimes, it's up to the patient to decide which treatment option they'd like to pursue especially if the disease is caught early. Other than surgery, treatment options can include radiation, hormonal therapy and chemotherapy. However, it's important to remember that the best treatment plan depends largely on the stage of the disease.
For prostate cancer, it turns out that in many cases, patients may see the same results whether they choose to have radiation or surgery. That's why a treatment plan needs to be a very personal decision, and your doctor will lay out side-effects linked to radiation just like any other therapy.
Dr. Geoffrey Sonn explains the process in deciding to treat prostate cancer
"The first thing I tell patients is that for the vast majority of them, there is no rush to make a decision," Dr. Patrick Swift, a radiation oncologist at Stanford, previously told SurvivorNet. "This is not like pancreatic cancer or lung cancer. There is time to make a decision. There's enough time to drive yourself crazy, too, but there's time to gather the information. You need to take your time to look through the different people that are delivering it and what their experiences with delivering it. But the treatment really needs to be tailored to the individual statistics of that person's disease right that time."
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