What Al Roker's Openness Can Help Us Understand About Prostate Cancer

On screen

In November 2020, Today show weatherman Al Roker told viewers, live on air, that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. He shared that the cancer was described as aggressive but had been caught early through a routine PSA blood test at his annual physical, and that he underwent surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering to remove his prostate and some surrounding tissue and lymph nodes. Afterward, he reported the good news that the cancer appeared confined to the prostate and that he would have regular follow-up blood tests. He has used his platform to urge men — and Black men in particular — to talk with their doctors about prostate health.

We share only what he has chosen to make public, and we do not speculate about any private details of his care.

The reality

According to the National Cancer Institute, prostate cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among men in the United States. NCI notes that prostate cancer usually grows very slowly, and that finding and treating it before symptoms occur may not always improve men's health — but some prostate cancers behave more aggressively, which is why doctors weigh each situation individually.

The PSA test that flagged Roker's cancer measures a protein made by both normal and cancerous prostate cells. NCI explains that benign conditions can also raise PSA levels, so an elevated result leads to more evaluation rather than an instant diagnosis. After treatment, PSA tests are also used to monitor for any sign of the cancer returning — the kind of ongoing follow-up Roker has described.

What the story gets right — and what to remember

Roker's story illustrates something NCI describes plainly: screening is a personal decision, and risk is not the same for everyone. NCI notes that some organizations recommend that men at higher risk — including Black men and men with a father or brother who had prostate cancer — consider routine PSA testing earlier, at age 40 or 45. Roker has been candid that his cancer was found only because he kept a routine appointment. Still, one person's diagnosis, treatment, and outcome do not predict anyone else's, and his story is a reason to have a conversation, not a substitute for one.

Awareness, screening & prevention

NCI reports that the PSA test is not recommended for routine screening of the whole population, because it carries possible harms as well as benefits. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force advises that men ages 55 to 69 make an individual decision after discussing the pros and cons with their clinician, and it does not recommend screening at 70 and older. Learning where you fall — by age, family history, and race — is exactly the conversation Roker has encouraged. Our guide to prostate cancer screening walks through it in plain language, and our free screening check-up tool can help you see which screening conversations may fit your life right now.

Turning a story into something useful

Al Roker turned a private diagnosis into a public nudge: keep the appointment, ask the question, know your risk. A useful response is to learn what prostate cancer actually is, understand that PSA screening is a shared decision, and bring your own family history to a healthcare team. Passing along calm, accurate information — and supporting free cancer education — multiplies that nudge.

Questions to ask a healthcare team

• Does my age, race, or family history change when I should discuss PSA screening?
• What would an elevated PSA result mean, and what would happen next?
• If prostate cancer were found, how would we know whether it needs treatment right away?
• What does follow-up monitoring look like after prostate cancer treatment?