Back in March, Alonzo Mourning had surgery to remove his prostate and recently shared that he is now cancer-free.
Early Signs and Diagnosis:
In late 2022, Alonzo noticed something was off when Dr. Maury Jayson saw his PSA scores rising. An MRI revealed some shadows on his prostate, leading to a biopsy.
Soon after, Dr. Sanoj Punnen informed him that he had a high-grade Gleason score of 8, indicating advanced prostate cancer. The doctor urged him to get further scans immediately.
Hall of Famer Alonzo Mourning underwent surgery to remove his prostate after a diagnosis of Stage 3 prostate cancer, per @wojespn.
The former NBA champion is considered cancer-free
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints)
Dr. Punnen then recommended a PET scan to ensure the cancer hadn’t spread throughout Alonzo’s body. Despite feeling physically fit and strong, the news was shocking for him.
Anxious Moments:
Alonzo described waiting nervously with his wife Mariona outside the PET scan room. He recalled sitting in the machine with racing thoughts until finally getting good news—the cancer was still contained within the prostate capsule.
I think it’s amazing how brave he remained through all this.
Advocacy for Health Screenings:
Now recovered, Alonzo emphasizes the importance of regular health screenings for men. “We live in a world where it’s taboo among men to talk about health issues,” he said. He believes routine checkups saved his life and wants other men to be proactive about their health too.
Prostate cancer affects approximately one in eight men in the U.S., making it the second-leading cause of cancer death among men according to the American Cancer Society.
“What scares me about this disease is that there are so many men walking around feeling great but have undetected cancer,” Alonzo shared with concern .
He urges all men to get their blood tested and PSA levels checked because many are unaware they have it—just like he once was.
