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Matt Lauer and Al Roker to have live prostate test

US presenters Matt Lauer and Al Roker will undergo prostate exams live on camera.

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2013-11-08_1521US Today show hosts Matt Lauer and Al Roker will undergo prostate exams live on camera to raise awareness of men’s health issues.

In 2000, Katie Couric underwent a colonoscopy on Today to encourage screenings after the 1998 death of her husband from colon cancer. It reportedly led to a 20 percent spike in colonoscopies in the ensuing years. Couric also had a mammogram on TV in 2005, while Roker underwent a colonoscopy on Today in 2009.

Maybe Wake Up could employ a similar concept to help boost ratings.

Over to you, Matho…?

Source: Hollywood Reporter

11 Responses

  1. @maxxdude – Wondering if Letterman ever joked about women’s breast screenings and mamograms? Doubt it.
    @Carta – The DRE can’t detect whether a swelling/hardening/etc. is benign or is cancer. Only the PSA test followed by a biopsy (usually while asleep, and if the dr says you won’t be asleep then go to someone else) can determine. But…you can have cancer and have no symptoms whatsoever.

  2. To those dismissing the usefulness of the DRE, I’m sure they’ll highlight on the program that it should be used in conjunction with the PSA test to screen for prostate cancer. I went to a urologist who ordered a PSA test (even though I’m nowhere near the standard “at risk” age) and he said the only reason he wasn’t performing a DRE during my consultation was because it would elevate my PSA levels and give an inaccurate result. He did, however, perform one on me while I was under a general unaesthetic for another procedure that he was performing (even though the PSA test was fine). He said that he wanted to check it thoroughly and it would be a lot less uncomfortable for me if I was out cold.

  4. Let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water. Earlier this year, checking myself I found a lump in that rather delicate area and while it was not cancer, it had the potential. So it’s not just prostate you need to be concerned about, everyone. Get everything checked.

  5. I know im female but I thought it was a blood test these days. Did they actually show the doctor doing the test?

    I thought they showed them at the doctors and go into the room then come out without seeing the procedure.

    anyway if it gets more men to the doctors then I guess the job is done

  6. I know this is a tv blog, so i’ll keep this one short. Good on you Jason for sharing your story. More men need to be pro-active and talking about this stuff. Whether Matt and Al’s piece has any merit, it is good that it will get men and their often more active women partners to keep checks. It’s a club you don’t really want to be a member of. Thanks David for posting this.

  7. @daveinprogress – “Prostate cancer is rarely diagnosed from rectal exams”. You are dead right. Both my GP and Urologist stated this. If it’s promoted as being the “best” test then it’s completely false, and dangerous.

  9. An enlarged prostate means nothing. The only sure prostate cancer test is a PSA blood test, followed by a biopsy if the reading is borderline. I didn’t have an enlarged prostate or any symptoms at all, but on changing doctors a biopsy was ordered as my reading had been “borderline” at 6.7 for a few years – “just to be sure, but I don’t think so”. Surprise for the new doctor. Twenty percent cancer invasion. Removed 3 years ago and all’s well, thanks to the PSA test & biopsy, not relying on a digital exam, or the old doctor. Annual colonoscopy checks are important too, but blood tests are moreso. Detect it early. The biopsy was under general anaesthetic and less than a visit to a dentist.

  11. Interesting post. I checked out the Hollywood Reporter site and the comments for this were full of derision. When i read this, i thought it was either psa testing or even a biopsy. Prostate cancer is rarely diagnosed from rectal exams anymore. Good for the network raising awareness.

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