Ben Stiller has opened up about his secret battle with prostate cancer and the test he credits with saving his life.
The Zoolander star revealed he was diagnosed with cancer in 2014 before the tumour was removed a few months later. He has been cancer-free ever since.
Stiller decided to reveal his story to encourage Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) tests.
"Taking the PSA test saved my life. Literally. That's why I am writing this now," writes Stiller on medium.com.
"There has been a lot of controversy over the test in the last few years. Articles and op-eds on whether it is safe, studies that seem to be interpreted in many different ways, and debates about whether men should take it all. I am not offering a scientific point of view here, just a personal one, based on my experience.
"This is a complicated issue, and an evolving one. But in this imperfect world, I believe the best way to determine a course of action for the most treatable, yet deadly cancer, is to detect it early."
The American Cancer Society recommends testing start at age 50 for men such as Stiller, who are at "average risk" of prostate cancer. Stiller had it when he was 46, despite some experts claiming the test can harm patients.
"I got diagnosed with prostate cancer Friday, June 13, 2014. On September 17 of that year I got a test back telling me I was cancer-free. The three months in between were a crazy rollercoaster ride with which about 180,000 men a year in America can identify," writes Stiller.
Information for Kiwi men about prostate cancer is available at prostate.org.nz.
Newshub.
