Popular “SportsCenter” host Jay Harris revealed some scary news to fans during an appearance on “Good Morning America” on Thursday.
“I’m having surgery on Tuesday,” the ESPN star said during his interview on “GMA” with co-anchor Michael Strahan. “And I’ll be away from ‘SportsCenter’ for about a month to recover. And then I’m coming back better than ever.”
Harris said that his doctor is feeling “quite optimistic” about his chances of recovery.
“Per my last scan, nothing has spread, so once we take out the prostate, hopefully that will be it,” Harris added. “That’s the goal.”
The “SportsCenter” host revealed that he wants to use this experience to inspire men to talk openly about ailments and their family histories among themselves. Harris’ father also suffered from prostate cancer.
“By not talking, we sentence ourselves to death,” he said during the segment.
Harris came aboard the ESPN team in February 2003 as a sports news anchor. That May, he did his first “SportsCenter” broadcast and has been doing that job ever since.
Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer among men, especially those over the age of 50. Data from the American Cancer Society says that 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point during their lifetime.
The good news is that while it’s a very serious disease, in many cases it progresses slowly and can be treated successfully if caught early. The bad news is, prostate cancer doesn’t usually come with any symptoms, which is why early screening is extremely important.
When symptoms of the illness do appear, they include things like difficulty urinating, blood in urine or semen, pain in the lower back or hips, and even erectile dysfunction. There are a number of non-cancerous causes for these symptoms too, which is why professional screening is essential.
Screening for prostate cancer can be completed in two different methods. The first is through a prostate-specific antigen blood test. The other is a digital rectal exam. High PSA levels could potentially indicate the presence of cancer; however, further screening is usually required to verify the diagnosis.
Men aged 50 and older should speak with their doctors about getting tested regularly. Those who are between the ages of 40 and 45 may wish to begin screenings as well in order to increase the chances of catching the cancer early.
The key to improving the survival rate of prostate cancer is early detection. When it is discovered early and treated appropriately, it increases the five-year survival rate to 100 percent.
