In early October 2016, actor and comedian Ben Stiller, now 51, shocked fans and colleagues when he announced he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer two years earlier.
But he wasn’t alone: More than 200,000 American men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). It occurs when cells in the prostate – a male gland that produces seminal fluid – start to grow uncontrollably. In many cases, it’s a slow-growing cancer, and treatments range from careful monitoring to surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, the NCI says.
The American Cancer Society advises most men to begin testing for prostate cancer at age 50. Screening is recommended at age 45 for African Americans and those with a close relative who was diagnosed with the disease before they were 65; those with more than one close relative should start tests at 40.
Read on to learn about Stiller and other famous men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Len Goodman
In 2009, the opinionated “Dancing With the Stars” judge traded his ballroom tux for a surgical gown after an annual checkup revealed he had prostate cancer.
But he held off the surgery until he had completed that year’s season of the dance competition show, he told the British newspaper Daily Mail.
“I could have said ‘sorry’ and not done the show, but the doctors felt [the cancer] wasn’t so far advanced that it was a life-or-death scenario,” he said.
Goodman, then 65, kept his condition secret until he had recovered from surgery to remove his prostate gland.
But now he recommends that all men “of a certain age” get tested regularly.
“Men, probably more than women, tend to ignore their health,” he said.
Robert De Niro
The Academy Award winner, best known for his tough-guy roles, faced another tough situation in 2003, at age 60: a prostate cancer diagnosis.
“The condition was detected at an early stage because of regular checkups, a result of his proactive personal health care program,” his publicist said in a statement.
Few additional details were released about the star’s treatment, but he appears to have made a full recovery. In 2011, De Niro, then 68, became a father for the sixth time.
Robert De Niro
The Academy Award winner, best known for his tough-guy roles, faced another tough situation in 2003, at age 60: a prostate cancer diagnosis.
“The condition was detected at an early stage because of regular checkups, a result of his proactive personal health care program,” his publicist said in a statement.
Few additional details were released about the star’s treatment, but he appears to have made a full recovery. In 2011, De Niro, then 68, became a father for the sixth time.
Butch Patrick
In 2011, the former child actor – who had played wolf-boy Eddie on “The Munsters” – revealed he had prostate cancer.
The news wasn’t a complete shock to Patrick. A test years earlier revealed he had higher than normal PSA levels. But a biopsy at the time hadn’t revealed cancer.
A follow-up PSA test showed his levels were even higher, leading to a second biopsy and a cancer diagnosis. He elected to have a da Vinci prostatectomy – a minimally invasive, robotic-assisted surgical procedure that removed his prostate gland.
Mandy Patinkin
Along with numerous memorable parts in movies, TV shows and on Broadway, the role of cancer survivor tops this actor and singer’s list of credits. Diagnosed in 2004, at age 51, Patinkin was roughly the same age that his father had been when he died of pancreatic cancer.
“I felt lightheaded and overwhelmed,” Patinkin said in an interview with Coping With Cancer magazine.
After a radical prostatectomy, Patinkin made a full recovery.
Before his diagnosis, “I took my life for granted,” Patinkin said. “And after cancer, every day… is precious to me.”
Ken Griffey Sr.
In 2006, the former Cincinnati Reds outfielder – a member of the “Big Red Machine,” which dominated baseball’s National League in the 1970s – received some news that wasn’t entirely unexpected. Several men in his family had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and he started getting tested in his mid-30s.
In 2006, at age 55, he was diagnosed with the disease, and he had surgery to remove his prostate the following year.
“Men don’t want to admit when they have a [health] problem, especially one that could appear to threaten their manhood,” Griffey Sr. told Lifescript in an exclusive interview. “But speaking up about questions or concerns can be the difference between early detection and not being around next Father’s Day.”
Len Goodman
In 2009, the opinionated “Dancing With the Stars” judge traded his ballroom tux for a surgical gown after an annual checkup revealed he had prostate cancer.
But he held off the surgery until he had completed that year’s season of the dance competition show, he told the British newspaper Daily Mail.
“I could have said ‘sorry’ and not done the show, but the doctors felt [the cancer] wasn’t so far advanced that it was a life-or-death scenario,” he said.
Goodman, then 65, kept his condition secret until he had recovered from surgery to remove his prostate gland.
But now he recommends that all men “of a certain age” get tested regularly.
“Men, probably more than women, tend to ignore their health,” he said.
John Kerry
While campaigning for the presidency in 2002, former Senator Kerry, then 59, was diagnosed with prostate cancer. His father had died of the disease at age 85.
Because the cancer had been detected early, his doctor said, he had a 95% chance of a complete recovery. He underwent surgery to remove the prostate, and continued making campaign calls during his hospital stay.
Since then, Kerry has enjoyed an active professional life, and was appointed Secretary of State in 2013.
Butch Patrick
In 2011, the former child actor – who had played wolf-boy Eddie on “The Munsters” – revealed he had prostate cancer.
The news wasn’t a complete shock to Patrick. A test years earlier revealed he had higher than normal PSA levels. But a biopsy at the time hadn’t revealed cancer.
A follow-up PSA test showed his levels were even higher, leading to a second biopsy and a cancer diagnosis. He elected to have a da Vinci prostatectomy – a minimally invasive, robotic-assisted surgical procedure that removed his prostate gland.
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