Top 10 Prostate Supplements and Weighing the Evidence for Use

Men Above 50 Must Watch For These Often-missed Prostate Cancer Signs

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Doctors Explain Exactly What Prostate Cancer Screenings Involve

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IF YOU'VE NEVER had a prostate cancer screening, you may worry that it will be embarrassing and uncomfortable. Doctors say that's not the case, however. The tests are quick and essential for early detection of the disease.

"It's a very simple process," says Paul Gittens, M.D., a board-certified urologist and founder of Rockwell Centers for Sexual Medicine and Wellness in Pennsylvania and New York City. "I think a lot of guys are anxious because they're nervous that the results may indicate they have prostate cancer." They're also nervous about the infamous DRE (digital rectal exam), which docs say doesn't always have to be part of the test.

No matter how matter how worried you are about the test itself or the results, getting screened for prostate cancer is vital. "It's something that you really want to detect early, and with early detection, treatment would be administered earlier, and survival should be at a higher rate," Dr. Gittens says.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death among men, according to the American Cancer Society. This year, the organization projects that about 300,000 new cases will be diagnosed, and 35,250 men will die from the disease. Black men are about 70 percent more likely to get prostate cancer.

Often, getting screened just involves a simple blood test, and there's not really anything you need to do to prepare, explains Felix Feng, M.D., a radiation oncologist at the University of California San Francisco and co-founder of ArteraAI.

Finding the disease in its early stages means it's typically easier to treat, he says. "Treatment for earlier-stage disease can be less intensive and have fewer side effects than treatment for later-stage disease."

Here's what to expect when you schedule a prostate cancer screening:

When Should You Get Screened?

"It depends on the risk factors that a gentleman might have," Dr. Gittens says.

The American Urological Association recommends most guys start getting screened for prostate cancer between ages 45 and 50.

But men who are at a higher risk for the cancer should get screened beginning at age 40. These groups include Black men, people with a family history of the disease, and individuals with certain gene mutations, such as the BRCA gene.

It's best to see your primary care doctor, who typically conducts the testing and then recommends you to a specialist if needed, Dr. Feng says.

What Prostate Cancer Screening Involves

Prostate cancer screening typically involves a blood test to detect levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Dr. Gittens says it's a straightforward blood test.

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PSA is a protein that's produced by prostate tissue, according to the Mayo Clinic. The test can detect high levels of PSA, which might signal prostate cancer. High PSA could also suggest other conditions, like an enlarged prostate.

The PSA test is often paired with a digital rectal exam (DRE), where a doctor inserts their finger into the rectum to feel the prostate gland. "We look for any bumps or lumps or any signs of abnormality," Dr. Gittens adds.

"A lot of guys are hesitant of the rectal exam," he says, so if it's causing too much angst, doctors can sometimes skip it and just do a PSA, especially if it's your first screening.

A DRE alone isn't as effective as the PSA for detecting prostate cancer, Dr. Feng says. "However, it can sometimes identify cancers in men who have normal PSA levels."

So, many doctors prefer to do both tests, Dr. Gittens adds.

How to Prepare for a Prostate Cancer Screening

A PSA is like any routine blood test, Dr. Feng says. But you should refrain from ejaculating for at least 48 hours before the exam. This could temporarily raise your PSA levels, which might trigger a false positive.

Also, avoid exercising before the test, which might affect PSA levels. If you have any signs of an infection, such as having to pee frequently or blood in your urine, Dr. Gittens says it's best to treat the infection before getting a PSA test.

The DRE doesn't require any preparation. But you should talk to your doctor if you're worried about it, Dr. Feng says.

What About At-Home Tests?

A number of at-home PSA tests are available. While Dr. Feng says they can be convenient, it's best to get tested at your doctor's office.

"Test results should be discussed with your doctor," who can recommend the next steps based on the result, he explains.

It's also just a good idea to establish a relationship with a physician, Dr. Gittens adds. Doctors can recommend other necessary health screenings, like colonoscopies, and routinely check your blood pressure and cholesterol.

What Happens After Screening?

If your PSA levels are high, your doctor will likely refer you to a urologist.

Dr. Gittens says he typically asks patients if they had sex before the PSA test or noticed any blood in their urine or feel like they need to run to the restroom frequently. Then, he usually repeats the PSA test and performs a DRE.

If the result still shows an elevated PSA, it's recommended that guys get an MRI or biopsy of the prostate, depending on the individual and their doctor's recommendations, Dr. Gittens says.

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"I favor the MRI, just to pick up any aggressive lesions," he explains. "Then if there is an aggressive lesion, you can just biopsy that area."

A biopsy involves inserting a needle into the prostate to collect tissue samples to examine for signs of cancer, Dr. Feng says. The procedure takes about 10 minutes.

If a biopsy shows that someone has cancer, doctors determine a patient's next steps.

"There's some prostate cancer that's really low grade, and we'll just watch it and no treatment is needed," Dr. Gittens says.

Patients with higher-grade cancer may need treatments, such as radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or other therapies.

When to Get Re-Screened

If you're in a low-risk group and your initial screening is normal, you should get a PSA every two to four years, Dr. Gittens says.

But Black men and guys with a family history or genetic mutations for prostate cancer should be screened every one to two years, regardless of whether their previous PSA was normal, he emphasizes.

Regular screening and early detection ensure you get the treatment you need as soon as possible, which increases your cancer survival rate, Dr. Gittens says. "It's always harder to treat cancers when they're more advanced and more aggressive."

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EXCLUSIVE: Montell Jordan Reveals His Prostate Cancer Has Returned

Montell Jordan, who rose to fame with his 1995 hit song, "This Is How We Do It," revealed exclusively on the 3rd Hour of TODAY that his prostate cancer has returned.

"I always imagined I would be telling my prostate cancer story from the other side of prostate cancer because I had a radical prostatectomy surgery. My prostate was removed. There were clear margins," Jordan, 56, tells TODAY.Com. "Close to a year post-prostatectomy, I still need to go back and have additional treatments because it's (been) detected that there is still cancer."

Since "This Is How We Do It" was released 30 years ago, Jordan has continued to record and perform music, and has become a pastor. In early 2024, doctors diagnosed him with Stage 1 prostate cancer after routine prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening revealed his levels were elevated, and he subsequently underwent a prostatectomy as treatment.

Being diagnosed with prostate cancer was "alarming," yet Jordan felt hopeful that doctors found it early.

"Hearing that it was early on, that it was first stage for me … which is treatable, that was probably the saving grace," Jordan says.

He felt called to share his story, which he's doing in a documentary called "Sustain," premiering next year. He also partnered with the nonprofit ZERO Prostate Cancer to raise awareness of the importance of regular prostate cancer screening for Black men.

"Early detection is the thing that allows me to have a choice to treat (my cancer) and live and to continue giving myself the best quality of life possible," he says.

"I've already had a fantastic quality of life even following my prostate removal, and so I believe that even after this next treatment that I have to do, it will eradicate the cancer from my body and still have a great quality of life moving forward."

Regular Screening Led to Early Detection

Since Jordan was in his early 40s, his doctor regularly screened his PSA levels. Black men are 1.7 times more likely to develop prostate cancer and die at more than twice the rate of men of other backgrounds, according to ZERO.

"I would go regularly to my doctor for screenings, and at that time — we're talking over a decade ago — most prostate screenings were kind of taboo," he says. "(Doctors) have to go in through the rectum and do the finger check, and so I would do that, and they were taking blood samples."

Montell Jordan feels grateful for his wife, who says is the "toughest."Courtesy Montell Jordan

Having more than a decade's worth of PSA tests led to Jordan's early diagnosis.

"Because I was going and had a history of what my blood levels were like, that's how they were able to detect it," he says.

Even though his doctor suspected he had early-stage prostate cancer, getting the official diagnosis was chilling for Jordon.

"I still go numb a little bit," he says. "I'm the type of person that tries to live a life of moderation in what I eat and what I drink and how I work out. I don't do alcohol or smoke or any of those things."

Once he collected himself, Jordan wanted to know what he needed to do. His doctors explained that because they found his prostate cancer at Stage 1, he had options for treatment. Jordan could choose "active observation," where doctors carefully monitored him, radiation or the complete removal of his prostate.

"For me, because of my age at 55, it seemed like the radical prostatectomy surgery — or the complete removal of the prostate — would be the best solution for me and give me the best opportunity for recovery," he says. "I would be more resilient in my recovery."

Prior to surgery, Jordan prepared as best he could by doing physical therapy and following the doctor's orders. The first five days following the surgery were rough.

"Catheters are removed and you're now navigating the diapers and things like that because the body is readjusting to not having a body part," he explains. "I personally have had a really good journey with the aftereffects of not having difficulty with urination or with incontinence."

After the biopsy results of his prostate returned, doctors upgraded his diagnosis to Stage 2 prostate cancer, a "more aggressive cancer." But still, the surgery was a success. Just two weeks after it, Jordan felt so good that he was able to perform at a concert in Anaheim with Usher.

Since then, he has undergone regular screening to make sure he was healthy. At his nine-month examination, earlier this summer, doctors noticed "tiny amounts" of cancer in the lymph nodes on his left side and the prostate bed where the organ once rested.

"We thought it was all confined, isolated to the prostate," Jordan says. "Apparently, that was not the case."

Jordan will undergo proton radiation therapy (a targeted radiation often used to treat prostate cancer) five days a week for seven weeks. And he'll take hormone blockers to stop the production of testosterone, which, in some cases, can cause cancer to grow.

Jordan says sharing his diagnosis has felt difficult at times, but he hopes it will encourage others to undergo regular prostate cancer screening.Courtesy Montell Jordan

"(It's) a radiated treatment that is specifically focused on that lymph node part of my body," he says. "It is a seven-and-a-half week interruption of life to make sure that I have a longer life."

Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer often does not have symptoms, which means many men are unaware they have it until it's too late. Late-stage prostate cancer can cause symptoms such as back pain, achy bones or blood in urine.

Routine screening, which can include a blood test to look at PSA levels and a digital rectal exam, can help people find the cancer in early stages. ZERO says that when prostate cancer is found in an early stage, Black and African American men have an almost 100% survival rate.

While early detection makes a huge difference in a person's outcome, fewer Black and African American men over 50 undergo PSA testing than white men, says ZERO. Prostate cancer kills about 17 Black and African American men every day.

The American Cancer Society urges men to speak with their doctors about their prostate cancer risk and screening. And the organization notes that African American men and men with a first-degree relative diagnosed with prostate cancer need to start screening at younger ages, anywhere from 40 to 45.

'It's OK to Cry'

Jordan knows there's a stigma surrounding prostate cancer, which keeps some men from talking about it and undergoing screening. That's why he wants to share his story.

"If you're talking about prostate cancer that deals with manhood … that is definitely a reason why men don't talk about it," he says. "Another reason why I am talking about it (is) because when I got diagnosed, I didn't have anybody to give me a template of what to expect."

At times, it is tough for Jordon to be vulnerable while filming his experience for the documentary "Sustain." Yet, he wants to show others what his cancer experience is like, so they know what to expect if it happens to them or someone they love.

"I'm trying to give a template for people that get diagnosed with this to, one, know they have options available to them," Jordan says. "And, two, in the mix of what that looks like, it's OK to cry. It's OK to shake your fist at God. It's OK to navigate and do what you need to do, but doing nothing is not an option."

Faith in God and the support of his wife and family have helped Jordan grapple with having cancer.

"I've got the toughest wife and kids on the planet — there's no question," he says. "I've got not only my family and my wife and friends, ministry leaders, (but) I've got ZERO. I've got a bunch of different folks that we've come alongside to do something fantastic and … we want to make a difference."

The support of his family has helped Jordan grapple with his health challenges.Craig obrist photography / Courtesy Montell Jordan

Jordan hopes that by being candid about his experience, he can "help save somebody's life."

"I want to be a part of this solution," he says. "Your life is worth more than what a stigma presents or what a taboo presents. I need you guys to get checked."

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