As former US President Joe Biden battles prostate most cancers, Elon Musk’s father has revealed for the primary time his personal secret prognosis and operation – and has launched a private mission to assist males dwell longer by getting examined to see if they’ve a genetic predisposition for the illness.
South African businessman Errol Musk, 79, was recognized with prostate most cancers in early 2024 and needed to have an pressing operation to have his prostate eliminated.
The information comes on the heels of former US President Joe Biden revealing in Might that he’s preventing an aggressive and superior type of prostate most cancers.
In keeping with analysis 1 in 8 males shall be recognized with prostate most cancers of their lifetime.
In Might 2013, Hollywoord actress Angelina Jolie revealed that she had undergone a preventative double mastectomy after testing constructive for a BRCA1 gene mutation, recognized to dramatically improve a lady’s likelihood for creating breast and ovarian cancers.
In an unique video interview with fellow South African entrepreneur and buddy Avi Lasarow, Musk mentioned he solely came upon in early 2024 after a daily check-up following open-heart surgical procedure that had taken place years earlier.
Raised PSA
Within the interview, which occurred earlier than the announcement about Biden’s well being, Musk – who celebrated his 79th birthday on Sunday – mentioned: “A couple of years in the past, I went for a medical and the flying medical physician kind of rushed me to a heart specialist, and I had an open-heart operation because of that.
“I preserve going again for checkups and so forth. I’m all proper, I had a valve restore, substitute and in my coronary heart.
“However after I went for my checkup at first of final yr, they mentioned to me, with the various blood assessments they do, that I had a raised PSA [Prostate-Specific Antigen]. Not notably raised, but it surely was raised.
“I used to be suggested to go to a urologist and have that checked out. I went to urologist and he requested me to come back again, which brings me to a fairly kind of comical facet.
“I all the time thought if you go into see a physician and he’s going to let you know that you’ve most cancers, that he first tells you to sit down down, and possibly gives you a cup of tea and asks you, should you’re comfy, should you’d like a cushion?
“They don’t do this. You’ve barely sat down on a tough bench chair, and so they’ve mentioned: “You’ve gotten most cancers!” And so, after seeing the urologist, he mentioned to me I’ve most cancers of the prostate.
“I mentioned: “Properly, what now, you recognize?”
He mentioned: “Properly, we will take away the prostate, after which we’ve got to see what’s left”
“So, I agreed and I went for this operation and so they eliminated my prostate and likewise all of the lymph nodes on the fitting facet, they cleared that every one out as properly.
“The biopsy confirmed that the prostate was carcinomas. It wasn’t a query of leaving it. So, it was positively the fitting choice by way of sustaining my life. They didn’t recommend to me that there was another. They mentioned you should have this eliminated.
“And as I’ve been going again, I don’t appear to have an issue at this level.”
‘Didn’t know a lot about most cancers’
Musk cancelled a deliberate abroad journey and had the operation in July 2024, across the time then-presidential hopeful Donald Trump confronted an assassination try and his son Elon first endorsed him.
Musk admits he didn’t know a lot about most cancers.
He added: “I need to say, though I used to be 77 on the time, I’d actually little data of most cancers.
“I actually didn’t know what most cancers was. And though I assumed I did by way of the years, you recognize, selecting it up, I feel we kind of keep away from it, keep away from studying about it. After which after I began studying about it, then I began to understand “Oh, it’s merely the physique shutting down sure organs with cells that don’t perform.
“I’m glad that I used to be suggested to go for the checkup. In truth, I didn’t should. I used to be suggested by the heart specialist to go and see a urologist. And I did.
“There are numerous instances, maybe prior to now, after I suppose probably, I’ve been suggested to go and see anyone about one thing. However folks don’t do it.
“However lately, it’s simpler to have assessments and checkups than it’s been for a very long time.”
Get examined early
Errol is now encouraging males to get a DNA take a look at early to see if they’ve a genetic pre-disposition to creating prostate most cancers, which might then result in getting a Prostate-Particular Antigen take a look at to establish in the event that they do have it.
DNA testing for prostate most cancers may be both germline testing (searching for inherited mutations) or tumour testing (analyzing adjustments inside the most cancers cells).
Prostate cancers are linked to inherited genetic mutations, and testing will help decide if a person has an elevated threat attributable to a household historical past of prostate most cancers or different associated cancers.
DNA testing will help establish people at excessive threat of prostate most cancers, information therapy choices and supply data to family members who can also be in danger.
Some examples of genetic assessments utilized in prostate most cancers embrace those who analyse mutations in genes like BRCA1 and BRCA2. BRCA1 is the gene Angelina Jolie examined, which led to her choice to have a double mastectomy.
Lasarow requested Musk within the interview: “In case you had recognized earlier {that a} easy DNA take a look at may provide you with a sign of your pre-disposition to prostate most cancers, would that encourage you to check?”
Musk replied: “In fact, completely. In truth, I’d have most well-liked to not lose my prostate. I’d have most well-liked to have had a DNA take a look at. And the DNA take a look at would have led me to see a physician earlier who would have mentioned ‘let’s do that, this and this’, and that will have been the tip of any potential most cancers of the prostate.
“That will be far, much better for me, as a result of there are fairly just a few downs having misplaced your prostate. Only a few folks would even remember that there’s a chance of getting these DNA assessments. And my final expertise with DNA assessments is that they price $100 so. It’s so cheap now that to not have a DNA take a look at is simply plain foolish.”
‘Daughters had been extra upset’
Musk mentioned his sons took the information of his most cancers calmly while his daughters had been extra upset.
He mentioned: “So together with your sons, you’d be: “Pay attention, I simply must let you know, I’ve been recognized with most cancers of such and such an organ.”
They’d reply: “Okay, how dangerous is it?
I’d say: “Properly, they are saying, I’ve to have the organ eliminated.
“Okay,” they are saying. “Do you want any cash?
You say: “No” and so they say: “Okay, preserve us knowledgeable.” They presume that I’d inform them if it’s not wanting too good, you recognize?
“So, it’s a person factor. You already know, the kind of communication.
“Folks usually ask me, you recognize, how usually do I converse to Elon, for instance, and I converse to him, but it surely’s on WhatsApp or e-mail, and generally by voice.
“If I had been to cellphone Elon and say: “I’m simply calling to ask you the way your week was,” you recognize, Elon would say to me ‘Okay, dad, so that you’re telling me the cancers come again.’ Males are totally different.”
“You inform your daughters by the use of a sluggish introduction, over about three days. You kind of discuss concerning the topic till they lastly say: “Why are you telling us this? Have you ever obtained one thing flawed?”
“You say, no, no, no, no, no. After which slowly, you recognize, by the third day you say “Look, I’ve truly obtained to have part of me eliminated” at which level you’ll be able to’t proceed the dialog.”
‘Significantly better now’
He added: “For the primary six weeks, I truly felt fairly terrible. You are feeling no power. Your physique feels weak, your legs weak, you simply really feel previous, and also you don’t really feel excellent.
“The physician mentioned to me it will take 12 months after the operation earlier than I felt all proper.
“However I began to really feel okay after three months I’m significantly better now, and I’m wanting ahead to attending to the 12 months.”
Musk now desires to assist folks dwell longer and fuller lives.
“I’d think about that it’s not distant that we’ll begin getting breakthroughs that may inform people who below sure right circumstances, you can exceed 100 years, and in the end, the common lifespan is perhaps 120 years.
“Keep in mind that earlier than the First World Battle, the common lifespan of a European girl was 39 years. It’s now almost 85 years. In order that’s double and it’s attainable, with the enhancements which might be out there, the discoveries which might be being made and DNA testing, folks will be capable of dwell for much longer and extra productive lives,” Musk mentioned.
Plans to launch a analysis challenge
Musk has launched www.muskhealthsystems.com – the place he plans to launch a future analysis challenge and a proactive testing system that focuses on longevity and screening for genetic predisposition to diseases and circumstances.
“I really feel fortunate to be alive and really feel lucky my tumour was caught early, whereas it was nonetheless treatable – however there are such a lot of males who should not so lucky.
‘With one in eight males set to develop prostate most cancers of their lifetime, it’s very important we catch it early and get them the pressing therapy they want.
“I urge all Governments to introduce nationwide screening packages so we will guarantee males get recognized quicker and catch the most cancers earlier than it develops,” Musk mentioned.
Errol was interviewed by Avi Lasarow, a UK-based South African entrepreneur, philanthropist and campaigner who has devoted his life to enhancing the well being and wellness of hundreds of thousands of individuals.
Avi launched life sciences diagnostic agency DNAFit and have become chief government EMEA of Prenetics, which helped to supply Covid screening throughout the pandemic.
Sobering stats
In keeping with Prostate Most cancers UK, within the UK:
Prostate most cancers is the most typical most cancers in males
Greater than 50 000 males are recognized with prostate most cancers yearly
Greater than 12 000 males die from prostate most cancers yearly
1 in 8 males shall be recognized with prostate most cancers of their lifetime
Round 510 000 males live with or after prostate most cancers
In keeping with the American Most cancers Society:
Prostate most cancers is the second-leading reason behind most cancers loss of life in American males, behind solely lung most cancers. About 1 in 44 males will die of prostate most cancers
About 1 in 8 males shall be recognized with prostate most cancers throughout their lifetime. However every man’s threat of prostate most cancers can range, primarily based on his age, race/ethnicity, and different components
Prostate most cancers is extra prone to develop in older males. About 6 in 10 prostate cancers are recognized in males who’re 65 or older, and it’s uncommon in males below 40. The typical age of males when they’re first recognized is about 67
Prostate most cancers threat can be increased in African American males and in Caribbean males of African ancestry than in males of different races
The American Most cancers Society’s estimates for prostate most cancers in the USA for 2025 are:
About 313 780 new instances of prostate most cancers
About 35 770 deaths from prostate most cancers
Have you ever ever been for a prostate checkup?
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