Breaking news! Former ESPN star reporter 'Woj' reveals he has low-risk prostate cancer
NBA Insider and low-risk PCa Insider tells his story to SI
By Howard Wolinsky
Back last June, I recommended then-ESPN NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski for a Pulitzer Prize for his spot-on prostate cancer reporting on Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Alonzo Mourning who had undergone a prostatectomy after being diagnosed with Stage 3 prostate cancer.
(Adrian Wojnarowski)
I often have complained here about the poor quality of reporting on prostate (and probably other) cancers especially by beat reporters for sports, politics, and entertainment. They usually don’t even know what questions to ask.
However, like a veteran medical reporter, Woj was all over Mourning’s PSA tests and Gleason score.
Turns out there was a reason. Woj not only had insider knowledge of the NBA but also prostate cancer.
Wojnarowski revealed today in a Sports Illustrated profile that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in March.
Something else unusual about his story: Woj apparently has a low-risk prostate cancer and is on surveillance. Not many A-listers admit to going on AS, while many with high risk cancer do. I discuss some of the secrecy surrounding AS in celebs here: https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/apatientsjourney/82226
In a Sports Illustrated profile published Thursday, Wojnarowski revealed that a memorable line from his retirement statement in September was referencing his cancer diagnosis.
"Time isn't in endless supply," 55-year-old Wojnarowski's statement read.
He traded his high-profile job at ESPN with a $7.3 million salary for a $75,000 annual salary to become the first general manager of the men’s basketball program at his alma mater.
Last February, Wojnarowski had a physical, where a blood test revealed an elevated PSA. A biopsy he had in March revealed early-stage cancer.
Wojnarowski said his prognosis is good.
"When you hear 'cancer,' you think about it going through your body like Pac-Man," Wojnarowski said to SI. "Prostate cancer, it generally stays confined to your prostate and is typically slow growing."
Good to see a former prominent sports reporter tell it like it is.
Wojnarowski is asymptomatic and his current treatment consists of active surveillance, according to SI. He's been advised to improve his eating habits, exercise more and get better sleep. He could opt to have surgery, SI reported, but the only reason to have it would be if he were unable to mentally cope with the idea of having the cancer inside him.
Advocates for patients with low-risk prostate have been looking for prominent people on AS to stand up and spread the word about the benefits of surveillance.
The reporting on Woj’s prostate bomb already is educating many people who will need to know about this disease, the most common solid cancer in American men and the second leading source of cancer deaths in men after lung cancer.
Here’s wishing Woj the best of luck and congrats on sharing his story. Not enough high-profile AS patients are willing to do this.
Clock’s ticking: The Active Surveillor’s ‘AS 25’ webinar coming up Jan. 4, 2025
By Howard Wolinsky
Paid subscribers and founding members to this newsletter get a free pass to “AS25,” (Active Surveillance 2025), a special program this newsletter is hosting noon-1:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025.
Please join us to hear about the latest developments in AS. Sign up for a paid subscription here:
I’ll take care of the rest.
Speakers include:
--Jonathan Epstein, MD, former chief pathologist at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, one of the world's leading pathologists. Epstein, now based in New York, will be making his first appearance before a patient audience in almost two years,
—Brian Helfand, MD, PhD, chief of urology at NorthShore University HealthSystem outside Chicago, an expert not only in prostate cancer but also in molecular biology.
—Christian Pavlovich, MD, who runs the Active Surveillance program at Johns Hopkins and recently co-authored a major study on diet.
—Timothy Showalter, MD, MPH, medical director of Artera AI, which has made news with its prostate test to help patients decide whether to go on AS.
This is the first program TheActiveSurveillor.com has hosted. I am providing a premium to paid subscribers and trying to keep this newsletter afloat.
If you can’t afford it, or have special circumstances (such as living in a country facing a banking boycott from the U.S. or are a “working” musician), let me know and we’ll work it out.
Please answer a few questions
I am curious about your experience about going on AS and the support you received from your partner/spouse. Can you share your thoughts by answering the questionnaire here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfslJOsvi3wGiHJrtFcYey4Ntl8vsNBWiJ51cN8KAkIQ8xAtw/viewform
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An eagle-eyed reader noticed I switched transrectal and transperineal in the corrected story below. I apologize for the confusion.
