Ben Stiller Reveals he Battled Prostate Cancer in 2014

Ben Stiller stopped by The Howard Stern Show this week and revealed a two-year-old secret: his battle with prostate cancer.

“It came out of the blue for me,” he told Howard Stern. “I had no idea.” He was diagnosed in 2014 when he was 48 years old. He had his prostate removed and has been cancer free for two years.

Stiller is one of the lucky ones. He had a PSA, or prostate-specific antigen test when he was in his 40s, when most medical professionals don’t recommend them until men are in their 50s. He went on the show to raise awareness for the test, and talk about the importance of getting checked.

The test is controversial, Stiller said. “The PSA test is the only early screener for prostate cancer and, right now, the United States Preventative Services Task Force does not recommend to take the test,” he said. If he hadn’t gotten it, however, he says he “still wouldn’t have known.”

“It just gives you an appreciation for everything in life and all the other bullsh*t doesn’t matter.” Stiller hopes to raise awareness about both the disease and the test now, saying “It’s part of who I am now… This thing saved my life, I gotta say something.”

[image via screen grab/NBC]

[H/T Huffington Post]

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