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James Pickens Jr. Discloses Prostate Cancer and Champions Early Screening

Routine PSA checks caught a rare variant early, prompting a robotic prostatectomy.

Overview

  • The 71-year-old actor revealed his diagnosis in a video with Black Health Matters, saying he is living proof that early detection works.
  • After elevated PSA levels in January, an MRI and biopsy confirmed a localized tumor and staging scans showed the cancer had not spread.
  • He opted for a robotic radical prostatectomy performed by two urologists, spent one day in the hospital, and will have careful follow-up because the tumor was a rare variant.
  • He has prioritized annual physicals for decades and has undergone PSA testing since age 41, driven by a strong family history of prostate cancer.
  • His outreach urges men at higher risk—particularly Black men and those with family history—to discuss screening around age 40, noting the American Cancer Society’s estimate that 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed and that risk is higher for Black men.