Former National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins (73) has announced that he has prostate cancer.
in the washington post pieceA few years ago, Collins explained, “My doctor noticed that my PSA (prostate-specific antigen blood test) was rising slowly.”
“Initially, I didn’t have much to worry about. Targeted biopsy identified a slow-growing, aggressive form of prostate cancer that didn’t require treatment and could be tracked with regular tests,” he said. “Things have improved,” he said. A month ago, when my PSA level spiked to 22, the normal value for my age was less than 5. “The MRI scan showed that the tumor had enlarged significantly,” he wrote. “A new biopsy taken from the mass showed more aggressive cancerous changes.”
Collins said he is scheduled to undergo surgery to remove his prostate, a radical prostatectomy, in late April.
“My surgeon will be assisted by a sophisticated robot named after Leonardo da Vinci. This robot employs a less invasive surgical approach than previous technology, making it possible for only a few “It requires a small incision in the gyrus,” he explained.
“Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in the United States, and approximately 40 percent of men over the age of 65 have low-grade prostate cancer, many of whom never know it. However, very few people develop advanced disease,” Collins wrote. “Prostate cancer remains the second leading killer of men.”
Defense Division Lloyd Austin underwent a prostatectomy in December due to cancer.
Do you like Blaze News? Avoid censorship and sign up for our newsletter to get articles like this delivered straight to your inbox. Register here!
