A New Front in the Fight Against Prostate Cancer

Every two minutes, a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer in our country. This disease is currently the second-leading cancer-related killer of men in the United States.

That reality is too familiar in The Natural State. According to ZERO Prostate Cancer and the American Cancer Society, there were 2,950 new cases in Arkansas last year and 360 deaths, ranking our state 18th in incidences and 32nd in mortality nationally. That means there were 119 diagnoses and 19 deaths for every 100,000 men.

One of the most common types of cancer, its risk factors include age, race and genetic connection.

Men over 50 years old are encouraged to get annual screenings, and those over 65 account for 60 percent of all cases, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The institution also cites elevated risks for Black men and those of African ancestry, who also develop the disease earlier, as well as those exposed to Agent Orange. Finally, a family history with the illness also increases likelihood by two to three times.

Like so many others, my family has experienced the impact of a prostate cancer diagnosis. It can often be a mixture of emotions including fear and anxiety. The good news is that in the early stage, it is almost 100 percent survivable.

This is evidence enough of the need to promote early detection.

I’m proud to help advance that effort through public policy with the recent introduction of a bipartisan bill to expand insurance coverage for prostate cancer screenings. The Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Screening for High-risk Insured Men (HIM) Act, which I’m leading with the help of Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), would require private health insurance plans to cover preventive prostate cancer screenings without imposing any cost-sharing requirements for men who are at high risk of developing prostate cancer.

The Prostate-Specific Antigen blood test is the most effective tool for detection, and making it more accessible can help save lives.

Our bill has support from leading prostate cancer advocacy organizations including ZERO Prostate Cancer, the American Urological Association, and the American Cancer Society and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

This initiative represents meaningful progress in such a critical fight. Thankfully, we’re also seeing more efforts and advancement at the state level in Arkansas.

Earlier this year, St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro announced the successful completion of Arkansas’s first Robotic Focal HIFU (High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound) procedure, a noninvasive robotic surgery that targets diseased portions of the prostate without damaging the surrounding healthy parts, leading to fewer complications and shorter recovery times.

And the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation, which was started by six prostate cancer survivors in 2000, is making strides in educating citizens as well as providing services including testing that leads to early detection and intervention. Last September, it launched a campaign that saw high school football players wear prostate cancer ribbon decals on their helmets while their coaches took part in “No Shave November” to help raise awareness.

Our General Assembly took up the cause as well, passing legislation in 2023 requiring health insurance companies in the state of Arkansas to continue to cover prostate cancer screenings for every man over the age of 40.

This is all about saving lives across the nation and helping fewer families endure the challenges and loss that accompany aggressive, late-stage prostate cancer. My colleagues and I are honored to lead a small part of that effort in the Senate and will keep seeking even more support.