Prostate Cancer Survivor Encourages Men to Speak Up and Get Tested

Bob Lane, a prostate cancer survivor and patient receiving Erleada (apalutamide), understands firsthand the challenges men face when discussing prostate cancer. In a previous interview with CURE, Lane reflected on his diagnosis, treatment and the importance of support from loved ones.

In this conversation, he expands on another critical aspect of survivorship: the stigma men often feel when talking about prostate cancer, the value of early screening and how he uses relatable examples to encourage others to take action.

CURE: What do you think newly diagnosed patients most need to hear or understand when they first receive a cancer diagnosis, and how do you personally try to support them?

Lane: They need to know that they're not alone. I guess that's the key piece. It's not necessarily a death sentence. I'm relatively healthy-looking and so on, and I'm 70, and I still play golf. A lot of times I'll carry my bag as I walk down the fairway, so you know that you can continue to live life. They want compassion. They want someone who's been through it to know that there is a ray of hope on the other side. They also want knowledge and information.

A lot of patients want information. Some of them come in with books, while others don't have a clue, and I'll put them in touch by giving them a personalized email with links to good, solid information. I have three different levels of information that I can share, based on what I think is going to make the most sense for them. Are they looking for a quick, down-and-dirty summary, or are they looking for details?

They may be looking to talk to other people, whether it's in person or in a virtual support group, or at least to build a network within their family and friends. I've said that matters a lot. I've been quite open about my diagnosis since it happened, and it's been very helpful. I'm not a cancer patient who happens to do things. I'm a person who happens to have cancer, and my life is going on. They recognize it, and not every time they see me do they ask me, “How is my cancer?” because it's being managed. I think getting to that point is important, and I try to help people do that.

In your experience, why do you think men are often reluctant to talk openly about prostate cancer?

Men are quiet about it. Men don't talk about it. And whenever I'm discussing it with a group, or even individuals, or big groups of people, I tend to whisper because that's what men do. They don't talk about it. I think it's because it can be pegged to sexuality, and there's a definite potential side effect, and that's all men seem to be concerned about.

The digital rectal exam, the DRE, is also something that people are concerned about. I have many men come to me and say, “You know what? I heard that that's not necessary anymore.” I say, “Well, doctors aren't doing it for certain things, but for other things, it's the best diagnostic tool.” They look at me like I'm crazy, and I explain it to them. I say, “You know what? The doctor doesn't enjoy it, and neither do you.” They're not really enjoying putting a rubber glove on and making you concerned and nervous. But I think what I like to tell them is to get screened.

You often stress the importance of family history and genetics. How do you help people understand those risks?

I'm talking about the linkage in family bloodlines; the genealogy links. If they have any sons or brothers or grandsons, they need to be mindful of it because there is a linkage to bloodlines, and that's important for them to know. I came upon this when I was speaking to a group back in March — 1,400 or 1,500 people I was talking to. I asked three of the 24 rows to stand up. I said, “Okay, you're the folks who are going to get prostate cancer out of this group.” And they looked around. “Holy crap, that's a big number of people,” I said. “I'm smart enough to know, ladies, that you probably won't, but paint the face of a man who's close to you, whether it's your husband or your son or your brother. They're going to get it.” I said it's a 99% cure rate if it's detected early, and the only way to detect it early is to test for it early. So that's the reason to get tested if no other reason.

When encouraging men to get screened, how do you make the risks and benefits more relatable?

I pivoted a little bit. I asked them to raise their hands. I said, “How many of you played the lottery Powerball?” Everybody's hand went up. I said, “Okay, you have a one in 262 million chance of winning the lottery. That's a big number, with big odds and lots of zeros in that decimal.” I said, “You don't have to raise your hands for these next couple of questions, but how many of you have ever hit the gas instead of the brake when the light turns yellow?” I said, “The odds are not as long as 262 million, but it's more likely to happen than one out of eight.” And then the same thing for texting. I said, “How many times have you had to answer or send that important text while you're still driving behind the wheel at 60 miles an hour?” I said, “Again, I don't know what the odds are, but it's not as long as 262 million, and it's more likely that you're going to have a life-altering problem than one out of eight.”

So, you're willing to take all these risks with long odds. Why would you not do something with really short odds — just a blood test? That seems to resonate with some people: that we take other chances in our lives. Why would we take a chance here when the cure rate is over 99%? If you detect it late in the game, the cure rate is only somewhere around 33% to 35%. So, that's how I try to convince people to get screened and tested. That last approach seems to resonate with people, and it seems to get people more off the fence than they would have been otherwise. I think so.

Transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

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