Robert De Niro's Prostate Cancer Story

Who he isExplain▾

Robert De Niro is one of the defining actors of American cinema, a two-time Academy Award winner whose credits include Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Godfather Part II, Goodfellas, and The Irishman. He is also a co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival. In 2003, at the height of a decades-long career, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer — a diagnosis he would later speak about to encourage other men to get checked.

The diagnosisExplain▾

De Niro was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2003, at age 60. He had no dramatic warning sign that sent him to the doctor. Instead, the cancer was found the way many early prostate cancers are: through a routine screening test done during a regular check-up.

According to his representatives, a PSA screening test — a blood test that measures prostate-specific antigen — flagged a problem. Elevated PSA prompted further investigation, and that is what led to the diagnosis. Because it was caught early, before it had a chance to grow or spread, his care team was able to treat it promptly.

The treatmentExplain▾

De Niro was treated for the cancer in New York, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The timing coincided with a film project, and reports at the time indicated that filming was delayed by a few months while he underwent treatment. His representatives credited routine check-ups and his overall good health with helping him make a full recovery.

He initially kept the diagnosis private. Only after he had been well for some time did he choose to speak about it publicly — using his own experience to urge men to take screening seriously. He has continued to work prolifically in the years since.

What his story teachesExplain▾

De Niro's experience is a clear, everyday illustration of how prostate cancer is often found. The prostate is a small gland in men that sits below the bladder. Cancer there is common, especially with age, and in its early stages it usually causes no symptoms at all. That is exactly why screening exists: to look for signs of disease in men who feel perfectly well.

The main screening tool is the PSA test, a simple blood test. A higher-than-expected PSA level does not by itself mean cancer — other conditions can raise it too — but it can be the first clue that prompts a closer look. In De Niro's case, that closer look found a cancer early enough to treat successfully.

It is worth being clear-eyed here: PSA screening is genuinely useful, but it is also debated. It can find cancers that would never have caused harm, leading to treatment some men might not have needed. That is why guidelines emphasize a shared decision between a man and his doctor rather than a blanket rule. Our guide to prostate cancer screening walks through who benefits, at what ages, and the trade-offs involved, and our overview of prostate cancer treatment explains the options if cancer is found.

The practical takeaway from De Niro's story is not that every man should rush to be tested, but that a conversation about screening — informed by your age, family history, and health — is worth having.

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The bottom lineExplain▾

Robert De Niro was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2003 at age 60, caught early through a routine PSA screening test before he had any symptoms. He was treated in New York, made a full recovery, and later spoke out to encourage men to get screened. His story is a straightforward reminder that early prostate cancer is often silent, that screening can find it, and that the decision to be tested is one worth discussing with your doctor.