NBC4 Washington morning co-anchor Tony Perkins, who received a prostate cancer diagnosis in 2022, said Monday morning that a planned biopsy earlier this month showed his cancer had advanced.
“Unfortunately, my doctor told me my prostate cancer has progressed, so my treatment plan has changed,” Perkins said Monday morning.
“Down the road, I will be having either surgery or radiation treatment.”
Watch Perkins’ announcement:
Perkins, who lives in NoVA, said it’s important for men to get regular physicals and get screened for the cancer for early detection.
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there is no standard test for screening, the two most common tests are a prostate specific antigen blood test and a rectal exam.
Perkins urged men to know their PSA numbers. Doctors report seeing more advanced cases of the treatable cancer, often because people are not getting screened.
The American Cancer Society reports one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and one in 44 will die of it. Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths, the society said. In 2024, the American Cancer Society predicts about 299,010 new cases and about 35,250 deaths.
“In the months ahead, my plan is to share my journey with you in the hopes of raising awareness and helping others,” said Perkins, who came on board at NBC4 last year.
“We’ve caught this early, so the prognosis is good.”
Feature image of Tony Perkins courtesy NBC4
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