decision not to disclose it has put that# cancer back at the center of some attention.

As John Yang explains, it's one of the# most treatable cancers.

But for many men,## there's still a stigma around it all too often.

JOHN YANG: Amna, Secretary Austin was one of the# estimated 288,000 men di cancer in 2023.

It's the most common cancer# among men after skin cancer, but, according## to the American Cancer Society, the five-year# survival rate in the United States is 99 percent.

While one in eight of all men will# develop the disease in their lifetime,## among Black men, it's one in six.

Dr. Jay Raman is professor and chair of the# Department of Dr. Raman, we have often heard prostate# cancer be described as slow growing.

So## help us understand where it is,# and how often does it spread?

DR. JAY RAMAN, Penn State# Health: That's a great question.

I think one of the t really represents a spectrum of disease.

There# are certain types of prostate ar e slow-growing.

They're indolent.

You're# more likely to die with it than die from it.

But there are other types that are more# aggressive, and these require some type## of therapy, surgery, radiation, or some# combination.

But all of these collectively,## as you alluded to, result in a cure rate# that is excellent if it's found early.

JOHN YANG: And let's just quickly remind people# what the prostate is and what its function is.

DR. JAY RAMAN: So the prostate itself is a# small organ.

It's about the size of a waln It's located deep in the pelvis.

And it's really# a reproductive organ.

It really helps having secretions that nutrition -- give nutrition# to the sperm and allow them to have children.

Later in life, however, we really know the# prostate has two real causative factors,## one, prostate cancer, the other being# an enlarged prostate.

And in this case,## we're talking about developing# prostate cancer in this organ.

JOHN YANG: Secretary Austin's physicians say## his cancer was detected earl Are there lessons in that?

DR. JAY RAMAN: Well, I think, An d screening really involves identifying# problems such as cancer at an early stage## and an early phase, when it's not# only treatable, but highly curable.

For prostate cancer, we're really talking about# checking a blood test called the PSA test,## as well as a rectal examination# to feel the prostate for lumps## and bumps.

And an abnormality in# either of these could suggest pr esence of prostate cancer and at a# minimum needs to be pursued further.

JOHN YANG: Screening, how soon should it# begin and how often should it be done?

DR. JAY RAMAN: So for the patient at average# risk, so an average man in the United States,## we're looking at ages between 45 and 50 years# of age to have that initial PSA blood test,## as well as that initial rectal examination.

Now, there are certain patients that are at higher# ra ce or Black ancestry, those with a first-degree# male relative with prostate cancer, or those with## genetic or hereditary mutations.

Those patients# really need to be screened at an earlier age,## about 40 to 45 years, because they're at# a higher risk of developing the disease.

JOHN YANG: Is there a stigma# around prostate cancer,## the belief that it's an old man's disease that# leads to impot DR. JAY RAMAN: Well, I really# think about it this way.

If you look at breast cancer in prostate cancer in men.

And women are excellent# advocates for their health.

You hear a lot## about mammography, self-examination,# getting checked, getting screened.

I think, for men in general, health problems# create a little bit more of a stigma,## the sense that, if they feel fine, there# might not be a problem.

And the reality is,## is that diagnosing and checking these# conditions early, identifying prostate## cancer early allows you to identify it# at a point where maybe some of these side## effects that you talked about, impotence and# incontinence, may be mitigated or minimized.

JOHN YANG: We also hear women# talk a lot about breast cancer,## talk about it among themselves to bolster each# other, Is that a hurdle to more screening# and more detection, early detection?

DR. JAY RAMAN: Absolutely.

If you look at pro stage or a late grade.

And once men start having# symptoms, I always say the wheels are starting## to come off that wagon and the ability# to treat and cure this disease is less.

So I really believe that high-profile# cases like this really underscore the## importance that anybody can get prostate# cancer, those that are in your community,## those that perhaps are of higher profile, and# the importance is really getting the word out,## having these discussions, understanding that# one in eight men do develop this disease,## and it's important to have these discussions,# and so men get checked and screened.

JOHN YANG: Dr. Jay Raman of Penn# State Health, thank you very much.

DR. JAY RAMAN: Thank you.