Men’s Health Month 2025: Spotlight on Prostate Cancer, Lifelong Health

Men’s Health Month highlights the importance of preventive care and healthy habits for men, with a renewed focus on prostate cancer awareness following former President Joe Biden’s recent diagnosis.¹

Empowering Men to Take Charge of Their Health This June

Men’s Health Month is observed each June in the US to raise awareness among men, boys, and their families about the importance of preventive care, healthy lifestyle choices, and positive health attitudes.² The observance began with the establishment of National Men’s Health Week, signed into law by President Bill Clinton on May 31, 1994.³ Celebrated annually during the week leading up to Father’s Day, this initiative has since expanded into the broader Men’s Health Month.

It may sometimes be mistaken for Movember, an international campaign each November where men grow mustaches to spark conversations around prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s mental health.⁴ While Movember focuses on specific health issues, Men’s Health Month takes a broader approach, encouraging men to consider all aspects of their health, set personal wellness goals, and develop a plan to achieve them.²

This broader focus is especially critical, as only 60% of men visit the doctor for an annual routine checkup, and 40% wait until a serious issue arises.⁵ Men also face higher mortality rates for 8 out of the 10 leading causes of death, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, and are 41% more likely to die prematurely than women.⁶

Renewed Focus on Prostate Cancer Following Biden’s Diagnosis

Although Men's Health Month highlights a wide range of health concerns, prostate cancer has recently drawn increased attention following former President Joe Biden's diagnosis.¹ On May 18, the Associated Press reported that Biden's office confirmed the diagnosis after a prostate nodule was discovered during an exam prompted by urinary symptoms.

The cancer had metastasized, spreading to the bone. According to reports, his cancer has a Gleason score of 9 on a scale of 1 to 10, indicating a highly aggressive form of the disease.

“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management,” Biden's office said in a statement. “The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”

As reported by the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in 2023, new treatment approaches offer hope for patients like Biden with metastatic prostate cancer.⁷ Combination therapies, such as androgen deprivation therapy combined with androgen receptor-targeted therapy, are used to block the hormone-driven cancer growth. Additional treatment options may include chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Additionally, new data presented at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting, in the abstract "Prostate Cancer Mortality Trends in the US (1999-2020)," highlighted that prostate cancer caused 925,141 deaths between 1999 and 2020.⁸ During this period, age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) declined from 25.8 per 100,000 (95% CI, 25.5-26.0) in 1999 to 17.9 per 100,000 (95% CI, 17.7-18.1) in 2020, equating to an average annual percentage change (AAPC) of -1.77% (95% CI, -1.94 to -1.68; P < .000001).

Prioritizing Early Detection and Overall Wellness During Men’s Health Month

Despite recent treatment advancements and the encouraging decline in mortality rates, the American Cancer Society (ACS) reported that prostate cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer death among men, following lung cancer.⁹ However, when detected early, the 5-year survival rate of patients with prostate cancer is 99%.

For the best chance at early detection, the ACS recommends that men begin discussing prostate cancer screening at age 50 for those at average risk, age 45 for those at high risk, and age 40 for those at even higher risk.¹⁰ High-risk individuals include African American men and those with a first-degree relative diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age. Men at even higher risk are those with more than 1 first-degree relative who had prostate cancer at an early age.

Screening typically involves a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test, where the likelihood of prostate cancer increases as PSA levels rise.¹¹ It may also include a digital rectal exam, during which a physician checks for any bumps or hard areas on the prostate that might be cancerous.

Beyond prostate cancer, Men's Health Month serves as a reminder for all men to prioritize their health by scheduling annual checkups, maintaining a healthy diet, staying physically active, avoiding smoking and secondhand smoke, limiting alcohol intake, and managing stress effectively.¹²

References

1. Caffrey M. Former President Biden has prostate cancer, AP reports. AJMC. May 18, 2025. Accessed June 3, 2025. https://www.ajmc.com/view/former-president-biden-has-prostate-cancer-ap-reports.
2. The importance of Men’s Health Month. Brown University Health. June 5, 2023. Accessed June 3, 2025. https://www.brownhealth.org/be-well/importance-mens-health-month
3. June is recognized as Men’s Health Month. The Lund Report. June 13, 2018. Accessed June 3, 2025. https://www.thelundreport.org/content/june-recognized-mens-health-month
4. McCormick B. Growing awareness: Movember ignites a mustache revolution for men’s health. AJMC. November 25, 2024. Accessed June 3, 2025. https://www.ajmc.com/view/growing-awareness-movember-ignites-a-mustache-revolution-for-men-s-health
5. Griffiths C. Men's Health Month: Five things to know. Indiana University School of Medicine. June 22, 2023. Accessed June 3, 2025. https://medicine.iu.edu/blogs/spirit-of-medicine/mens-health-month
6. Jackman D. Men's Health Month: 7 tips to take charge of your well-being now (and every day!). Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund. June 5, 2024. Accessed June 3, 2025. https://feea.org/2024/06/mens-health-month/
7. Hamid AA, Sayegh N, Bertrand Tombal, et al. Metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer: toward an era of adaptive and personalized treatment. ASCO. 2023;(43). doi:10.1200/edbk_390166
8. Zia A, Aman K, Nasir M, et al. Prostate cancer mortality trends in the US (1999-2020). Presented at: 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting; May 30-June 3; Chicago, IL. Abstract e23055.
9. Survival rates for prostate cancer. American Cancer Society. Accessed June 3, 2025. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/survival-rates.html
10. American Cancer Society recommendations for prostate cancer early detection. American Cancer Society. Last revised November 22, 2023. Accessed June 3, 2025. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/acs-recommendations.html
11. Screening tests for prostate cancer. American Cancer Society. Accessed June 3, 2025. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/tests.html
12. June is Men's Health Month. US Department of Homeland Security. Accessed June 3, 2025. https://www.dhs.gov/employee-resources/news/2023/06/14/june-mens-health-month

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