\u201cGrey\u2019s Anatomy\u201d star James Pickens Jr. gave fans an update on his health after sharing he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.<\/p>\n
Pickens revealed his cancer diagnosis during a recent interview with Black Health Matters<\/a>. But Pickens shared positive news about his health on Instagram<\/a> on Nov. 15.<\/p>\n \u201cHi Friends, I\u2019m blessed and grateful to be cancer-free,\u201d Pickens wrote in the caption. \u201cThanks so much for all the love and support! Get checked!\u201d<\/p>\n The actor, who plays Dr. Richard Webber on the medical drama, also appeared in a public service announcement video<\/a> during a recent episode of \u201cGrey\u2019s Anatomy\u201d to discuss prostate cancer, including the increased risks for Black men.<\/p>\n \u201cOne in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime,\u201d Pickens said. \u201cFor Black men, the risk is even higher.\u201d<\/p>\n The Prostate Cancer Foundation<\/a> reports that one in six Black men will develop prostate cancer, and Black men are two times more likely to die from the disease.<\/p>\n \u201cFortunately, prostate cancer is highly treatable, but early detection is the key,\u201d Pickens added. \u201cAnd sometimes there are no noticeable symptoms. For years, I\u2019ve worked with Black Health Matters to urge men to get screened regularly, starting with a simple blood test. Today, I\u2019m living proof that early detection works.\u201d<\/p>\n During his interview with Black Health Matters, which fell during Movember, a movement to raise awareness for men\u2019s health issues including prostate cancer<\/a>, Pickens spoke about his diagnosis, including his family\u2019s history with the disease and how the doctors were able to catch the diagnosis early.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not the kind of news anyone wants to hear, but to be honest, prostate cancer has run through my family,\u201d Pickens told the platform. \u201cMy father had it. He had a lot of brothers; several of them had it. I would have been surprised if I hadn\u2019t gotten it.\u201d<\/p>\n Due to his family\u2019s health history, Pickens said that he started to get annual physicals 30 years ago. Pickens also shared that he was 41 when he started to get PSA testing done, which is a blood test used to screen for prostate cancer, per Mayo Clinic.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cMy urologist said. \u2018Because you were so diligent in that piece of your health, it was to your advantage. We were able to catch it so early because you were being tested,\u2019\u201d Pickens explained. <\/p>\n When Pickens went to get his annual physical, which included a PSA test, in 2024, he was referred to a urologist who said that his numbers were within a normal range, but he\u2019d need to return for testing in a year. After Pickens came back in January, his PSA levels increased, and his doctor referred him back to a urologist.<\/p>\n His urologist ordered an MRI, which revealed \u201csomething suspicious.\u201d He was scheduled for a biopsy, which showed a tumor, though a PET scan showed that the cancer was isolated and had not spread.<\/p>\n Pickens was given two treatment options: radiation or a radical prostatectomy. The actor ultimately chose the prostatectomy, which was performed robotically by two urologists and only left him with a one day stay in the hospital following the procedure.<\/p>\n \u201cWe caught it really early, and so they thought that would be the best route to take,\u201d Pickens said. \u201cI do have a rare variant that you don\u2019t see very often. They wanted to err on the side of caution and keep an eye on it.\u201d<\/p>\n Early detection was key in Pickens\u2019 case, who told the organization, \u201cIt was rare enough that they wanted to make sure that they were crossing all the T\u2019s and dotting all their I\u2019s. But they hadn\u2019t seen one that was detected as early as mine.\u201d<\/p>\n