‘Our Health Is Worth Talking About’: Black Men And Prostate Cancer

On this special edition of Listen to Black Doctors, it’s all about prostate cancer, PSA levels, and what those numbers really mean. It’s a crucial conversation for men, Black men in particular, and for the people who love them. Host Jeremie Rivers is joined by Reggie Hicks, prostate cancer survivor and executive producer of the documentary If You Are My Brothers; Dr. Michael H. Forde, whose work focuses on public health, equity, and prostate cancer awareness for Black men; and Frederick Anderson, fashion designer and founder of the Blue Jacket Fashion Show, a fundraiser benefiting ZERO Prostate Cancer. Together, they share personal stories, break down what PSA levels mean, and explain why it’s important to keep the conversation going. Because, as Rivers says, “Our health is worth talking about.”

Dr. Forde lays out why prostate health is a conversation we need to get comfortable having: “There is a history of Black men being at higher risk of prostate cancer, so that’s why it’s important to have those discussions earlier, especially when it comes to screening.”

Going around the panel, each guest shares why this conversation is meaningful to them.

“I think it’s a conversation that men tend not to have,” says Hicks, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer while filming If You Are My Brothers. “It’s a conversation that is important to us being healthy, but also to our family members, our friends … I just had my first granddaughter and I’m blessed to be here … I’m here going on 15 years later because it was caught early.”

Anderson talks numbers. According to ZERO Prostate Cancer, Black men face higher odds of a prostate cancer diagnosis: about 1 in 6 will be diagnosed in their lifetime. “It’s avoidable, and that’s why I’m in the conversation,” said the fashion icon, who has dressed Beyoncé, Janet Jackson, Charlize Theron, and more. “It’s up to us, brother to brother, to open that conversation and to keep ourselves alive and inform ourselves.”

Dr. Forde has seen firsthand the stigma that can hold people back from talking about prostate health. “I have had some family members and colleagues who have experienced prostate cancer. And seeing them go through some of the uncertainties (and navigating) in a way they may not have been experienced with before, made me realize that there’s some kind of gap in our community as men when it comes to speaking on things like prostate cancer.” That’s why, the doctor says, “We have to keep pushing this conversation forward.”

What is a PSA?

The PSA test is the most common screening tool for prostate cancer. “PSA stands for prostate-specific antigen,” says Dr. Forde. “Typically, prostate cancer screening relies on this PSA test to measure the protein levels in the blood.”

A small blood sample drawn from the arm will check for PSA levels. The doctor explains, “If your levels are high, that could indicate cancer, infection, or an enlarged prostate.” 

Dr. Forde breaks down the PSA ranges and what they mean: “If it’s less than 1 nanogram per milliliter (ng/mL), that’s considered low risk, very normal. Generally, 1 to 3 ng/mL is what’s considered safe for most men. Four to 10 ng/mL, that’s when you get borderline or elevated. And then above 10 ng/mL, that’s considered high.”

When should you get your PSA levels checked?

According to ZERO Prostate Cancer, the recommended age range to begin screening for prostate cancer is 40 to 45 years old.

“If you have any cancer history in your family, not just prostate cancer, you should probably get screened at 40 or 45,” says Anderson, also noting, “You have to request a PSA, it is not part of regular bloodwork.”

Once you have that first PSA, the key is working with your doctor to track any changes in that number over time. “They need to follow the numbers. It’s not about the first number,” Anderson explains. “They watch it to see what’s happening. Is it changing? Is it going up? Is it going down? That takes communication, persistence, and us going in and saying, hey, I want to know what’s going on with my body.”

How can Black men get more comfortable talking about prostate health?

It’s easy to avoid the topic altogether, especially when it feels so personal. “Don’t be scared,” says Hicks. “As my wife says, ‘Life over libido.’ Your family, your friends, everybody wants to have you around.”

Hicks had his wife by his side and learned the importance of communication as they navigated his prostate cancer diagnosis. “I think we just went on faith and understanding that we were going through this journey together,” he shares. “Men, we tend to want to internalize it. It’s hard for a lot of men to bring their significant others into the equation … You really need to sit down, talk, and make the decision together. Because it will turn out so much better at the end of the day.”

Anderson founded the Blue Jacket Fashion Show to open up the conversation around prostate cancer. “We want to make sure there are places for men to go to get the information and understand how this affects them,” he says.

Having a conversation is the first step in the right direction.

“This is where it starts … The more we talk about it, the more we address it, the less it can seem stigmatized and taboo for people,” says Dr. Forde. “One thing I want listeners to take after this conversation is to keep it simple: screening age 40 to 45, knowing your family history … One sentence, one number said out loud today can be the thing that starts this whole process moving in the right direction for somebody.”

“Healing starts with knowing,” the doctor adds. “You cannot advocate for your health if you don’t have the information to advocate with. You cannot fix what you refuse to find out. So whatever fear, whatever pressure to appear strong has kept you or someone you love from having this conversation, let today be the day that changes.”

Get the whole conversation. Listen to this full episode of Listen to Black Doctors above.

This special edition of Listen to Black Doctors is presented by NewsOne and the Urban One Podcast Network.