Former President Joe Biden’s aggressive prostate cancer diagnosis has raised questions about prevention and detection.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that men aged 55 to 69 discuss the potential benefits and risks of PSA (prostate-specific antigen) screening with their healthcare provider and make an individual decision about screening.

They recommend that men over the age of 70 skip screenings altogether.

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The USPSTF is a “commonly used” resource, although other agencies and associations offer varying guidelines, according to Dr. Shawn Dason, a urologic oncologist at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Dason stressed that it’s important for men in their 50s and 60s to confer with their healthcare providers to make shared decisions on screening.

“They should engage in a discussion about the topic of prostate cancer and the role of PSA in screening — and the potential benefits and harms,” he said.

Potential risks of screening and treatment 

There’s a “little bit of variability” in whether men under age 50 and over 70 should be screened due to potential risks, which can include over-treatment or unnecessary treatment, Dason said.

In past decades, “we didn’t really have an understanding of the nuances … about when prostate cancer should be treated and when [it] should just be observed in a protocol called ‘active surveillance,’” he said. 

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It is possible for some men to be over-treated after a diagnosis, he also said.

In certain cases, the cancer may not have led to death or other clinical problems — but the treatment could cause “bothersome” urinary, sexual or bowel-related side effects, Dason said.

“Studies have shown that use of the PSA has fallen off likely in men over the age of 40 as a result of the USPSTF recommendation,” one doctor said. (iStock)

“You might be diagnosed with a prostate cancer that is not likely to actually cause your death or create any other problem for you,” he said. 

“You might then receive treatment for that prostate cancer — and the treatment might be worse than the actual impact of the cancer itself.”

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There is “much more limited data” to support that screening over the age of 70 could save a man’s life from prostate cancer, Dason noted, while it’s “pretty clear” that the harms of prostate cancer treatment increase with age.”

Screening could reduce the chance of death in some cases, however, which is why it’s important to have a discussion with a doctor, according to Dason.

“You might be diagnosed with a prostate cancer that is not likely to actually cause your death or create any other problem for you,” one expert said.  (iStock)

Men who don’t have symptoms but are considered of “average population risk” should be screened, he advised.

“Having symptoms is a totally different conversation,” he said. 

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“Generally, when we use the term screening, we’re talking about somebody who is not having any symptoms … They’re having an annual health checkup.”

Screenings for men over age 70

Fox News’ senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel revealed that he’s been “bothered” by the guidelines not recommending routine prostate cancer screening, particularly for those over age 70.

“Studies have shown that use of the PSA has fallen off in men over the age of 40 as a result of the USPSTF recommendation,” he wrote in a recent op-ed for Fox News Digital.

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“This is particularly disturbing considering that there are over 300,000 new cases of prostate cancer in the U.S. diagnosed every year, with over 35,000 deaths, many of which may be preventable with earlier diagnosis.”

“I am saying that all men over the age of 45 should have this screening. Period. Regardless of age.”

Siegel noted that treatment options have advanced over the years, and are now better tolerated with fewer side effects for patients at various stages and ages.

“Many critics are saying that a president of the United States should have the most aggressive prostate cancer screening regardless simply because he is president,” he said. 

“But I am saying that all men over the age of 45 should have this screening. Period. Regardless of age.”

Men who don’t have symptoms but are considered of “average population risk” should have screenings, an expert advised. (iStock)

Dason agreed that some men aged 70 and older are appropriate candidates for screening.

“If you’re in good health, and you’re going to have a reasonable life expectancy, the diagnosis of [a serious] prostate cancer could have a big impact on extending that life or improving your quality of life.”

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By contrast, men who are not great candidates due to health issues and limited life expectancy face greater harm from a screening than benefit, he clarified.

“I would encourage men to think about their situation and have a conversation with their medical provider.”

Memorial Day is for remembering those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

As Americans honor the day in their own ways, people across the country will be participating in a tough fitness challenge honoring fallen Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy.

The challenge, known as “the Murph,” consists of a variety of strength training and cardio activities, which Murphy himself used to complete during SEAL training.

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Murphy’s former SEAL roommate, Kaj Larsen, told Fox News Digital how he also participated in these workouts, which have turned into a national movement of patriotism.

“Murph and I would often run to the pull-up bars and then do this workout where we did 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups and 300 air squats, and then we’d run back to our barracks room,” Larsen said. 

“The total run was about a mile to the pull-up bars and a mile back, and this became one of Murph’s favorite workouts.”

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Murphy would often wear his body armor as a challenge, originally calling the workout “Body Armor.”

Now, tens of thousands of people on Memorial Day complete “the Murph.”

Murphy, left, of New York and Sonar Technician (Surface) 2nd Class Matthew G. Axelson of California sit in Afghanistan on June 8, 2005. Murphy and Axelson were assigned to SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and were killed by enemy forces during a reconnaissance mission, Operation Red Wing, on June 28, 2005. (U.S. Navy via Getty Images)

“It’s a really beautiful way to honor him,” Larsen said. “Murph would have loved the idea of thousands of people sacrificing through sweat. That was right up his alley.”

He added, “He loved working out. And I think he’s smiling down on us as he sees us all doing one of his favorite workouts.”

“Murph would have loved the idea of thousands of people sacrificing through sweat.”

The classic Murph consists of the following exercises, in order or broken up:

• one-mile run
• 100 pull-ups
• 200 push-ups
• 300 air squats
• another one-mile run

Murphy and Larsen would often do the workout with a 20-pound weighted vest, which is optional.

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For those looking to attempt the Murph this Memorial Day, Larsen said there is “no one way” to do it.

While some people train all year for the Murph, modifications are acceptable.

This can include partitioning the reps of push-ups, pull-ups and squats into sets, or subbing out pull-ups for jumping pull-ups or assisted pull-ups with a band. The runs can also be walked, Larsen noted.

While some people train all year for the Murph, modifications are acceptable. (iStock)

“The point is to do something hard that challenges yourself in recognition and honor of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice,” he said. “And if you do that, you have done the Murph.”

Act of heroism

Larsen, currently head of military investing and communications at Siebert.Valor, the military arm of Siebert Financial, spent 13 years in Naval Special Warfare as a SEAL and left the military at the rank of lieutenant commander.

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The veteran spent his rookie years with Murphy, who joined through Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL Training (BUDS) in 2001.

SEAL Officer Murphy, the son of a New York firefighter who is originally from Long Island, was part of a team that specialized in long distance and special reconnaissance.

SEAL Lt. Michael P. Murphy sits on the ground in Afghanistan on May 20, 2005. Murphy was part of a team that specialized in long distance and special reconnaissance. (U.S. Navy via Getty Images)

In 2005, during his first combat deployment to Afghanistan, Murphy was part of Operation Red Wings, designed to go after a senior-level Taliban operative, Larsen described.

The operation has been memorialized as one of the greatest losses in Naval Special Warfare history.

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Murphy’s team was compromised, overwhelmed by superior forces as a firefight broke out. There were no survivors except for one SEAL, Marcus Luttrell.

A Quick Reaction Force (QRF) helicopter with eight SEALs flew in to support the SEALs on the ground, Larsen said.

Navy veteran Marcus Luttrell, at right, wrote the book “Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of Seal Team 10.” (Michael P. Farrell/Albany Times Union via Getty Images; Nick de la Torre/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

This helicopter arrived due to Murphy’s moment of heroism, where he exposed himself to “excessive enemy fire” to reach radio communication, Larsen recalled.

“He got up on top of a boulder, which was the only place that he could make comms to call in the quick reaction force,” he said. “This ended up saving the life of Marcus Luttrell.”

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“Mike was killed on June 28, 2005, in Afghanistan. They identified him in part because underneath his uniform, he was wearing a New York Fire Department T-shirt – FDNY T-Shirt – as a tribute to his dad, Daniel Murphy.”

Murphy received the Medal of Honor for his actions that day, and the U.S. Navy commissioned a battleship named the USS Michael Murphy.

Operation Red Wings has since been immortalized in a book by Marcus Luttrell and in the movie “Lone Survivor” starring Mark Wahlberg.

A museum in Murphy’s honor was also built in his hometown of West Sayville, New York.

“The Murph is hard, and it’s designed to be hard.”

Murphy’s workout was also picked up after his death by the CrossFit community, which turned it into a “massive cultural movement,” Larsen said. 

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“The Murph is hard, and it’s designed to be hard,” he added. 

“And I, for one, just appreciate everybody continuing to keep Murph and other soldiers like him who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in their hearts and in their minds.”

If your job has you feeling tense, your dog might be feeling it too.

A new study published in Scientific Reports finds that stress from work can affect your dog at home.

The research, led by Tanya Mitropoulos and Allison Andrukonis, shows that when dog owners dwell on work problems after hours, a habit known as “work-related rumination,” their pets show more signs of stress.

Researchers surveyed 85 working dog owners. They measured job stress and how often people kept thinking about work during their free time. Then they asked how stressed owners thought their dogs were and also tracked actual behaviors linked to canine stress, like whining, pacing or restlessness.

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The study found that owners with higher job stress had dogs who showed more stress-related behaviors. That link stayed strong even when the researchers accounted for other stress in the home. Interestingly, owners didn’t always realize their dogs were stressed. It was a pup’s behavior that told the story.

The big factor driving the connection? Rumination. Owners who mentally took work home were more likely to have stressed-out dogs. Thinking about work off the clock seemed to spread stress from humans to pets.

This idea is known as “crossover,” when one person’s stress spills over to others in a home. Previous research has shown this happens between spouses, and now there’s evidence it can happen between people and their pets too.

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A dog sits on a hardwood floor with a sad expression. New research finds that dogs can absorb their owners’ work stress through emotional cues and changes in routine. (Getty Images)

Dogs are especially sensitive to their owners’ moods. Scientists call this “emotional contagion,” the idea that dogs can pick up on human feelings through tone of voice, body language and other subtle cues. When an owner is distracted or irritable from work stress, the dog notices. Over time, this can affect the dog’s well-being.

The study also suggests another explanation. When people are focused on work problems, they may become less patient, more distant or less consistent with routines like walks and feeding. That kind of change in care can also increase stress in dogs.

A woman pinches the bridge of her nose in frustration while working from home. A 2025 study published in Scientific Reports links job stress and rumination to signs of stress in pet dogs. (Getty Images)

The authors point out that Americans overwhelmingly see their pets as part of the family. That makes it even more important to understand how our behavior affects them.

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In the study’s words, “employed dog owners might benefit from avoiding work-related ruminations when at home to protect the well-being of man’s best friend.”

Putting work aside when you walk through the door doesn’t just help your own health. It helps your dog, too.

Following his diagnosis with a brain condition, singer Billy Joel has canceled all scheduled concerts.

The five-time Grammy winner, 76, announced on Friday that he has normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), which occurs when cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) builds up inside or around the brain.

“This condition has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance,” stated the announcement on Joel’s website. 

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“Under his doctor’s instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period.”

What causes normal pressure hydrocephalus?

Hydrocephalus is a general term describing the buildup of excess fluid in the brain. 

“The fluid, called cerebrospinal fluid, is constantly produced in fluid-filled spaces in the center of the brain called ventricles,” Potts said. “It flows through the ventricles and then around the surface of the brain and spinal cord, where it is then reabsorbed.”

Hydrocephalus can happen for a variety of reasons, including infection, trauma to the brain or bleeding within the brain, the doctor said.

“This condition has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance.”

Normal pressure hydrocephalus is a version of the condition that is typically seen in older people, where the cerebrospinal fluid builds up without increasing the pressure in the brain. 

Despite the fact that pressure remains normal, NPH can impact brain function, particularly the areas of thinking, memory, movement and focus, according to Cleveland Clinic.

Symptoms of NPH

The three main effects of NPH are gait issues, urinary incontinence and cognitive difficulties. Collectively, these symptoms are known as “Hakim’s triad.”

The cognitive problems can include memory loss, slow thinking and difficulty, according to Mia Kazanjian M.D., a board-certified radiologist in private practice based in Connecticut.

The five-time Grammy winner, 76, announced on Friday that he has normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), which occurs when cerebrospinal fluid builds up inside or around the brain. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)

“This can negatively impact someone’s career and personal life, limiting the ability to do activities of daily living like eating, bathing and dressing,” Kazanjian, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. “This can also lead to emotional changes, like depression.”

Urinary incontinence means loss of bladder control, which can cause discomfort, anxiety and embarrassment, according to the doctor.

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“This can predispose someone to bladder infection and skin irritation,” she cautioned. “If someone has to get up in the middle of the night due to this, he or she is more likely to fall. Furthermore, it can lead someone to isolate socially, which can lead to feelings of loneliness.”

Gait impairment means the person’s steps are unsteady, there is loss of balance, and feet can stick to the ground, shuffle or freeze, Kazanjian said.

“The danger is that someone can fall and sustain trauma with a significant injury,” she warned.

Normal pressure hydrocephalus is a version of the condition that is typically seen in older people, where the cerebrospinal fluid builds up without increasing the pressure in the brain.  (iStock)

The condition can often be mistaken for dementia, but some cases of NPH can be treated and reversed.

The only known risk factor for NPH is age, Cleveland Clinic noted, with the average age of onset around 70.

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Other factors, such as race, gender or ethnicity, do not appear to impact the chances of the condition occurring.

Approximately 0.2% of people between 70 and 80 will develop NPH, and it affects around 5.9% of those over 80, the above source stated.

The condition is diagnosed through a combination of neurological exams, lab tests and diagnostic imaging (MRI or CT scans). (iStock)

Only around 0.003% of people under 65 will get the condition.

“About 30% of people with NPH also have Alzheimer’s disease or a similar degenerative brain disease,” Cleveland Clinic states.

Diagnosis and treatment

The condition is diagnosed through a combination of neurological exams, lab tests and diagnostic imaging (MRI or CT scans).

The most common treatment for NPH is a surgical procedure called “shunting,” where a device with two tubes, called a shunt, is implanted to regulate the amount of fluid in the brain.

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“One end is placed into a pocket of cerebrospinal fluid, usually in the ventricle in the brain or a pocket of cerebrospinal fluid in the lumbar spine below the spinal cord,” Matthew Potts, M.D., a Northwestern Medicine neurosurgeon, told Fox News Digital. (Potts was also not involved in Joel’s care.) 

“The other end goes somewhere else in the body that can reabsorb the fluid, usually in the abdomen.”

The only known risk factor for NPH is age, with the average age of onset around 70.

“Shunts are more complex than just a tube — there is often a valve that regulates how much fluid can flow through it.”

Some newer shunts can be programmed to change the rate of fluid flow from outside the body, Potts added.

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Symptoms typically improve within hours or days of the shunt being implanted. The surgery itself usually entails days or weeks of recovery.

Experts emphasized that timely treatment is essential to prevent severe or permanent damage to the brain from the pressure caused by the excess fluid.