NBC’s Al Roker, the weather anchor for their weekday morning Today Show program, shared his cancer diagnosis with viewers today. Roker, 66, announced he’ll be taking a leave from the show to “take time off to take care of it.”

“After a routine check-up in September, it turns out I have prostate cancer.” The weather personality, who also serves as host for the third hour of the Today Show said the cancer was caught early, but it appears to be an aggressive form.

“1 in 9 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer,” Roker told viewers, adding that with African Americans, those numbers not only rise to 1 in 7, but a diagnosis within the black community is more lethal than the general population.




Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate gland. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths for men in the United States. The prostate is a small walnut shaped gland in the pelvis of men; located next to the bladder, it can be examined by getting a digital rectal exam.

Roker said that fortunately, after breast cancer, it is the second most treatable form of cancer. He plans to have surgery and “wait and see” what happens; he expects to take off the next two weeks from his job at NBC to deal with this cancer diagnosis and treatment.