Four-time NBA champion John Salley gets his prostate examined live on screen

The Doctors/YouTube

New Delhi: Prostate cancer, if diagnosed early, can be treated successfully.

Although prostate screening saves lives, whether to test healthy men with no symptoms for the condition remains controversial. This is because all the tests used to help detect the condition have benefits and risks as well.

Usually, the tests for prostate cancer include - a blood test, a physical examination of the prostate (known as a digital rectal examination or DRE) and a biopsy. The blood test, known as a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, is to measure the level of PSA and may help detect early prostate cancer.

Fearing health risks, few men proactively undergo prostate exams to monitor their symptoms.

Against all odds, four-time NBA champion John Salley, 52, underwent a live prostate examination on a Television show as he urged more men to get tested.

Salley, now retired , appeared on 'The Doctors' for his test alongside, co-host and plastic surgeon Dr Andrew Ordon, who has battled prostate cancer symptoms for years. Watch the video below!

Video courtesy: The Doctors/YouTube

In the video, the pair could be heard laughing and joking as they took turns to lie on a table, and their lower halves blocked by a screen, while urologist Dr Aaron Spitz had a feel around.

Within five seconds later, Dr Spitz declared that Salley's prostate is healthy, and the same went for Dr Ordon even as the audience screamed, laughed, covering their faces.

Salley's live exam signifies the importance of prostate screening in men. Globally, prostate is the second most common type of cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death in men.

'The Doctors' is an Emmy award-winning daytime talk show hosted by ER physician Dr Travis Stork, Dr Andrew Ordon, OB-GYN Dr Jennifer Ashton, urologist Dr Jennifer Berman and family medicine physician and sexologist Dr Rachael Ross.