News Release: Emory Healthcare, School of Medicine
Jan. 23, 2009
Emory Urologists Screen 70 Retired NFL Players for Prostate Cancer
Dr. Fray Marshall, chairman of the Emory Department of Urology, discusses prostate cancer risk factors with retired NFL player Stefon Adams.On Wednesday, Jan. 21, Emory urologists screened more than 70 retired NFL players for prostate cancer. Among those screened were former NFL standouts and Atlanta Falcons' Tommy Nobis, Jeff Van Note, and Billy "White Shoes" Johnson.
The screenings were part of a prostate health research and awareness program launched by the NFL and the NFL Players Association in collaboration with the American Urological Association Foundation to address the medical needs of former league players.
The initiative will use data collected from prostate health screenings of retired NFL alumni nationwide, including results from the Emory screening, to assess prostate health among this population. In addition, prostate health education was provided to all participants.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men. One man in six will get prostate cancer during his lifetime, and one man in 35 will die of the disease.
More than 2 million men in the United States who have had prostate cancer at some point are still alive today. The death rate for prostate cancer is declining, and the disease is being detected earlier as well.
Routine screenings can significantly lower a man's risk of dying from prostate cancer.
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The Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center of Emory University is an academic health science and service center focused on missions of teaching, research, health care and public service. Its components include schools of medicine, nursing, and public health; Yerkes National Primate Research Center; the Emory Winship Cancer Institute; and Emory Healthcare, the largest, most comprehensive health system in Georgia. The Woodruff Health Sciences Center has a $2.3 billion budget, 17,000 employees, 2,300 full-time and 1,900 affiliated faculty, 4,300 students and trainees, and a $4.9 billion economic impact on metro Atlanta.
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