Actor from the popular American series Grace Clinic announced that he had been diagnosed with a rare type of prostate cancer. James Pickens Jr. (71), known as Dr. Richard Webber revealed that he was not at all surprised by the news, as other members of his family also battled the disease. , he currently works to raise awareness of prostate cancer and encourages men to talk about their health issues.
- Actor James Pickens Jr. spoke about the diagnosis of prostate cancer.
- The diagnosis did not surprise him given the family history of the disease.
- Pickens Jr. he underwent an operation that prevented the spread of the disease.
- The actor appeals to raise awareness about prostate cancer.
The American actor, who played the character of Richard Webber in all 22 seasons of the series, spoke about his diagnosis in an interview with the Black Health Matters association. “My father and several of my brothers had it. I have a 90-year-old first cousin who is still alive. He and his son suffered from it. As far as I know, no one has succumbed to it. I would rather be surprised if I didn’t get it too“, he stated.
Doctors Pickens Jr. diagnosed with cancer after he underwent an MRI. Later, the famous actor underwent a biopsy, which revealed a tumor. The surgeons managed to surgically remove the formation, thanks to which the disease did not spread further. “We caught it very early, so they thought it would be the best way“, he added.
Still, he was taken aback when doctors told him he was suffering from a rare variant not seen often. “They wanted to be careful and they monitored it even after the surgery. They indicated to me that they had never met with a case that had been detected as early as mine.“, the actor clarified.
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men, after lung cancer. A large group of cases is made up of men aged 65 and over, and it is believed that the risk is higher in African-American men and in Caribbean men of African descent.
According to doctors, the disease can be fatal, especially because in in the early stages it often has no visible symptoms. Symptoms usually only appear when the disease has spread enough to press on the urethra. states that there are several symptoms that patients may experience. These include:
- The need to urinate more often, especially at night
- Difficulty starting to urinate
- A long time for a person to urinate
- Weak flow
- A feeling that your bladder has not completely emptied
- Blood in the urine
