James Pickens Jr. Reveals Prostate Cancer Diagnosis

James Pickens Jr., the longtime star of ABC's "Grey's Anatomy," revealed this week that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier this year, a personal health challenge that mirrors a dramatic storyline unfolding for his character on the long-running medical drama.

The 71-year-old actor shared details of his diagnosis in an interview with Black Health Matters, noting the disease's prevalence in his family. "It's not the kind of news anyone wants to hear, but to be honest, prostate cancer has run through my family," Pickens said. "My father had it. He had a lot of brothers; several of them had it. I would have been surprised if I hadn't gotten it." He emphasized a positive family track record with the illness, adding, "I've got a 90-year-old first cousin, who's still alive, actually; he had it. His son has it. A couple of his brothers had it. No one, as far as I know, has succumbed to it."

Pickens credited his early detection to decades of proactive health care. He has undergone annual physicals for 34 years and began prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing at age 41. In January, elevated PSA levels prompted further tests, including an MRI that revealed something suspicious...