1 in 8 Men Will Face Prostate Cancer—But Taking This Simple Step for Early Detection Can Save Lives

Prostate cancer affects one in eight men in the U.S. over their lifetime, which is the same rate as women and breast cancer. Yet, comparatively, it remains widely misunderstood. In 2026 alone, an estimated 333,830 men will be diagnosed, and about 36,320 will die from the disease. But early detection can significantly improve outcomes, providing the highest chance for effective treatment. And with prostate cancer cases rising 4.8 percent year over year, there is an urgent need for men to take a more proactive approach to screening.

One of the biggest challenges with prostate cancer is that men don’t typically experience noticeable signs or symptoms in the early stages. Accordingly, waiting until something feels off often means the disease has already progressed, making treatment more difficult. The silent nature of the disease, combined with misinformation and general lack of awareness, means many men aren’t diagnosed until it’s in the advanced stages.

Enter the Check the Box! campaign, launched earlier this year by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Prostate Cancer Foundation. The national initiative is designed to increase awareness around the dangers of late-detected prostate cancer, while encouraging men to prioritize regular screenings and have more informed conversations with their healthcare providers.

"This campaign is meant to elevate awareness for the men and the women in their lives—the daughters, sisters, mothers, spouses, partners. To really drive home for men that their health is dependent upon understanding all of the aspects of their own well-being," says Gina Carithers, President and CEO of the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Related: Urologists Are Urging Men Over 45 to Watch for These 5 Silent Prostate Cancer Signs

Screening for Prostate Cancer

There’s a clear gap when it comes to how men understand their risk of prostate cancer, and what screening actually looks like. Part of that comes down to inconsistent healthcare access. Many men fall out of routine care in their 20s and 30s and fail to fully re-engage until later in life. Combine that with years of shifting guidelines, mixed messaging around prostate cancer screening, and early stages being largely symptomless, and it's easy to see why there's a lack of awareness around personal risk.

"A lot of times, the messaging around prostate cancer is, 'Oh, it won't kill you,' and that's not necessarily true," says Phillip Koo, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of the Prostate Cancer Foundation. "People also think that a screening test still involves a digital rectal exam, which many men do not look forward to. And the truth is, it does not. It's just a simple blood test."

The test Koo refers to above is the PSA (prostate-specific antigen), a quick blood draw that measures PSA levels in the body. If those levels come back elevated, doctors can follow up with additional imaging to get a clearer look at the prostate before deciding on next steps. But it all starts by "checking the box."

By checking the box on medical forms to indicate family history or risk factors, it starts the conversation with their doctor. It’s a small step, but one that can lead to earlier screening and better health outcomes. After all, early-stage prostate cancer is highly treatable and often curable, with a 99 percent cure rate when caught early.

Jay Harris' Battle with Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer disproportionately affects Black men, with risk jumping to one in six. Longtime SportsCenter host Jay Harris, whose father also had prostate cancer, was aware he was at a higher risk of developing prostate cancer. Just last summer, he underwent a successful surgery after being diagnosed. And being in the public eye, Harris felt a duty to spread awareness, encouraging more men to openly talk about their health and any struggles they may be facing.

“If we can get people tested, if we can get people to fill out those forms and say, ‘Yes, it’s in my family,’ so the doctor has a heads up—if we can get men to think outside of themselves and realize that just talking about this could have a positive impact on someone else, and on their own family—that matters. Instead of thinking, ‘I’m embarrassed, I don’t want to talk about it,’ we can get rid of that whole stigma,” Harris says.

Key Takeaways

Prostate cancer risk increases with age, so experts recommend that men begin annual screenings by age 45. For those at higher risk, including Black men or those with a family history, screening should start as early as age 40. If you have a positive family history, start screening at 40 years or 10 years before that family member was diagnosed.

"Most men will not have symptoms, so if you're waiting to have symptoms before you're diagnosed, we would say that that's too late because it leads to a greater chance of the cancer spreading beyond the prostate," Koo says. "We want to capture it and catch it through early detection. It's usually when it's asymptomatic and when you catch it early that you give yourself the highest chance for a cure."

With about 25 percent of men diagnosed at an advanced stage, early detection is critical. So, don't wait. Normalize these sometimes uncomfortable conversations with friends and family. Be open with your healthcare provider, share your family history, and make regular health screenings a part of your routine. Because when it comes to prostate cancer, especially, early detection through a simple PSA blood test can dramatically improve outcomes and save lives.

Related: Four Brothers Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer at the Same Time Say They're 'Closer' Now