Ben Stiller is known for starring in Hollywood blockbusters such as Meet the Parents and Dodgeball, but the star secretly battled prostate cancer in 2014.
Diagnosed at the age of 48, the actor kept his battle with cancer private until 2016, crediting his survival to the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test which caught his tumour early.
After a nail-biting three-month wait and surgery, the 59-year-old actor emerged cancer-free in 2014 and has been a vocal supporter of the PSA test, which he believes is essential for early detection of this common yet curable cancer among men.
He recommends that men get the simple blood test that detected his cancer early and saved his life.
"This is a complicated issue, and an evolving one," he said.
"But in this imperfect world, I believe the best way to determine a course of action for the most treatable, yet deadly cancer, is to detect it early."
Stiller was unequivocal about the impact of the test: "Taking the PSA test saved my life." He continued, "If I hadn't gotten the test... right now I still wouldn't have known."
Despite no family history or symptoms and being just 48 at the time, Stiller's diagnosis came as a shock. His doctor had fortuitously decided to administer the PSA test on a whim—a choice that proved to be lifesaving.
Recounting the ordeal on America's Today programme, Stiller called the whole experience "surreal".
He opened up about his frightening ordeal with prostate cancer, explaining how he was blindsided by the diagnosis.
"It came out of the blue for me... I had no idea. I didn't know what was going to happen, so I was scared. The first one [PSA test] came in and it was a little high," Stiller recounted. He continued to reveal how consistent monitoring was crucial.
"He said I just want to keep giving you this test every four or five months just to see what happens."
Stiller firmly believes the tests were vital, saying, "But if it wasn't for the test I don't know if I would have had an easy course of treatment or the same prognosis."
Nonetheless, health experts caution against overreliance on PSA testing due to risks of misleading results; false-positives or negatives can occur.
Despite its ability to identify aggressive cancer forms, the test may trigger unnecessary biopsies or overlook indolent cancers.
In response to these pitfalls, the NHS recommends pre-biopsy MRIs to reduce the chance of unwarranted procedures.
The UK does not currently offer a nationwide prostate cancer screening programme. Yet, men with increased risk factors such as family history, obesity, or those from black ethnic backgrounds are advised to consult their GPs about potential testing.
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Getty)After a PSA test, medical professionals look at the results in terms of nanograms of PSA per millilitre of blood (ng/ml). Men aged 50 to 69 with PSA levels of 3ng/ml or higher have what is considered an elevated level.
High PSA could point to prostate cancer but might also be due to benign conditions.
In response, some men may be suggested to keep an eye on things with "watchful waiting" or "active surveillance", essentially tracking the condition until treatment becomes necessary if the cancer grows.
If the prostate cancer is further along, then diving into surgery could be on the cards, specifically a radical prostatectomy – where the whole prostate gland gets the boot, for cases where the cancer hasn't spread widely.
Radiotherapy is another weapon in the arsenal against prostate cancer, meant to curb its spread and easy symptoms, potentially curing cancers that haven’t moved past the prostate.
After facing down treatment, there's still the chance the cancer could make an unwelcome comeback.
Doctors should chat with patients about the risk of the cancer rearing its head again, weighing up everything from those PSA results to how far the cancer has staged itself.
English (US) ·