Grey’s Anatomy star James Pickens Jr. has disclosed he has been diagnosed with a ‘rare variant’ of prostate cancer.
Known for his long-standing role as Dr. Richard Webber on the ABC medical series, Pickens shared this health update during an interview with Black Health Matters.
Discussing his diagnosis, Pickens explained that it wasn’t entirely unexpected due to a family history of cancer, though he mentioned that doctors identified ‘a rare variant that you don’t see very often’.
“It’s not the kind of news anyone wants to hear, but to be honest, prostate cancer has run through my family,” he stated. “My father had it. He had a lot of brothers; several of them had it. I would have been surprised if I hadn’t gotten it.”
He further noted: “I’ve got a 90-year-old first cousin, who’s still alive, actually; he had it. His son has it. A couple of his brothers had it. No one, as far as I know, has succumbed to it.”
The detection of the cancer occurred following a PSA test (prostate-specific antigen), leading to an MRI that identified ‘something suspicious’.
The 71-year-old actor underwent a biopsy which confirmed the presence of a tumor that was subsequently removed. Fortunately, the cancer had not metastasized.
“We caught it really early, and so they thought that would be the best route to take,” Pickens commented. “I do have a rare variant that you don’t see very often. They wanted to err on the side of caution and keep an eye on it.”
“It was rare enough that they wanted to make sure that they were crossing all the T’s and dotting all their I’s. But they hadn’t seen one that was detected as early as mine.”
Pickens aims to address the stigma surrounding prostate cancer and encourage men to prioritize their health.
The Grey’s Anatomy actor remarked: “Where we are and how we view the medical community, especially as African American men. We know the history of that, and how far that goes back in terms of our trepidation about being tested, and getting something as simple as a physical.”
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among men, only surpassed by lung cancer.
Statistics indicate that six out of ten prostate cancer diagnoses occur in men aged 65 or older, with African American men and Caribbean men of African descent facing a higher risk.
One in eight men will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis during their lifetime, with over 35,000 projected deaths in the US this year alone.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.