WACO, Texas — About one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society.
Data from the Texas Cancer Registry shows prostate cancer is now the third-most prevalent form of cancer in McLennan County.
Seven years ago, Roderick Waits heard the word he never thought he would.
"When you hear cancer, your heart skips a beat," Waits said.
Doctors diagnosed Waits with stage four prostate cancer. At just 57 years old, his outlook on life changed forever.
"It's hard to explain how blessed I am. That's as high as it goes," he said. "It just taught me to be positive."
Waits is now in remission but had to undergo surgery and radiation. He said he wishes he had caught it earlier.
He's now encouraging other men to take the time to visit their doctor for regular screenings.
"You're taking a chance on your life. And if you're not around, there's not a lot you can do for anybody else that you care about," he said.
It's a disease that often goes undetected in its early stages. Amy Mersiovsky, department of nursing chair with Texas A&M Central Texas, said men over 50 should be screened.
Groups a high risk, including African American men and men with a family history of prostate cancer, should be screened once they turn 45.
"The earlier we find things like cancer, the better the treatments are, and the outcomes are better for our patients," Mersiovsky said.
169 men are expected to be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year in McLennan county alone. 20 are expected to die from cancer.
Waits said don't wait to pay a visit to a doctor.
"That two hours to do a physical in a doctor's office could probably save you a lot down the road," he said.
While he's had long-lasting impacts from his cancer, he still says he's lucky. Seven years later, he's still with his family.
