Ben Stiller. Credit: Venturelli/Getty Images
Tough topics. Ben Stiller revealed Tuesday, October 4, that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago at the age of 48.
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The Emmy winner, now 50, opened up about his battle with the disease for the first time during an interview on SiriusXM's The Howard Stern Show, explaining that he and his doctor were able to detect and treat the cancer.
"It came out of the blue for me. I had no idea," Stiller explained to host Howard Stern. "At first, I didn't know what was gonna happen. I was scared. It just stopped everything in your life because you can't plan for a movie because you don't know what's gonna happen."
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The Zoolander actor then explained why he decided to finally announce the news, saying, "I wanted to talk about it because of the [PSA] test ... I feel like the test saved my life."
Ben Stiller and his wife Christine Taylor. Ian Gavan/Getty Images
A prostate-specific antigen test, or PSA test, is a blood test typically used to screen males for prostate cancer. The test examines and measure the amount of PSA in a patient's blood; PSA is an antigen produced by cancerous and noncancerous tissue in the prostate.
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"It's the second most deadly cancer, but it's about one of the most curable," Stiller explained to Stern, 62, Tuesday morning.
Shortly after the Night at the Museum star revealed his diagnosis, the Prostate Cancer Foundation tweeted its support, writing, "Your story inspires hope and empowers other men! Thank you for sharing the importance of getting checked."
Stiller is married to actress Christine Taylor, with whom he shares daughter Ella, 14, and son Quinlin, 11, with.
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