Fifteen years ago his brother died of prostate cancer. On his deathbed, my brother said to me and my other brothers that we needed to see the doctor. Three years ago, Edwards was diagnosed with two tumors in his own prostate. I was devestated. Each year, some 200,000 men like Harold Edwards are diagnosed with prostate cancer, roughly 40,000 die.
Research now points to a single gene that can double the chances of getting the disease.
That's good news for UT Southwestern Medical Center urologist Kenneth Koeneman who's been researching cures. Gene markers, can't be used right now, but in the future they will be useful. Especially in families like Harold Edwards where there's already a history of prostate cancer. Until then, Edwards relies on the Lord and his own message of early detection.