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James Pickens Jr. revealed his fight against prostate cancer after his “Grey’s Anatomy” character faced a cancer diagnosis in the mid-season finale.
Pickens, 73, who portrays Dr. Richard Webber on the hit ABC medical drama, was diagnosed with prostate cancer following an annual physical in 2024.
“It’s not the kind of news anyone wants to hear, but to be honest, prostate cancer has run through my family,” he told Black Health Matters. “My father had it. He had a lot of brothers; several of them had it. I would have been surprised if I hadn’t gotten it.”
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He added, “I’ve got a 90-year-old first cousin, who’s still alive, actually; he had it. His son has it. A couple of his brothers had it. No one, as far as I know, has succumbed to it.”
Due to family history with the disease, Pickens is disciplined about monitoring his health.
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“My urologist said, ‘Because 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,’ “
During an annual physical earlier this year, doctors referred Pickens to a urologist after they discovered the actor’s PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels were elevated.
“It revealed, as he called it, something suspicious,” he recalled.
After a biopsy revealed a tumor, a subsequent PET scan was ordered and showed the cancer had not spread.
Doctors gave Pickens two options: he could pursue radiation or undergo a radical prostatectomy. He ultimately chose surgery to remove his prostate, which was performed robotically by two urologists.
“We caught it really early, and so they thought that would be the best route to take,” he said before noting, “I do have a rare variant that you don’t see very often. They wanted to err on the side of caution and keep an eye on it.”
Pickens added, “It was rare enough that they wanted to make sure that they were crossing all the T’s and dotting all their I’s. But they hadn’t seen one that was detected as early as mine.”
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While his journey with cancer is personal, Pickens hoped by sharing that he could help remove the stigma men have about discussing their health.
“One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime,” he said in a PSA filmed for Black Health Matters. “For Black men, the risk is even higher. Fortunately, prostate cancer is highly treatable, but early detection is the key, and sometimes there are no noticeable symptoms.”
He added, “Today, I am living proof that early detection works. If you’re Black, or prostate cancer runs in your family, talk to your doctor about getting screened starting at age 40.”
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