Find, Fight, and Follow: Changing the Future of Prostate Cancer

In this episode of On Call for Men’s Health, we focus on prostate cancer, survivorship, and advocacy through a powerful conversation between Dr. Michael Lutz and Andre Melvin, PhD. Andre Melvin is an employee of Lantheus, a pharmaceutical company. However, this podcast is not promotional in nature. The opinions expressed are his own and are provided for general informational purposes only.  We begin by sharing Andre's background, growing up in a disciplined military household in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where values like respect, education, faith, and hard work shaped his worldview. Those early lessons inform the way we now approach men’s health, advocacy, and service.   We discuss Andre’s academic and professional journey, including his PhD in health services policy and management and his early work examining health disparities and outcomes based on access and insurance coverage. That foundation leads naturally into advocacy, which becomes deeply personal when Andre shares the story of his father’s death from advanced prostate cancer. His father was diagnosed at stage four with a high Gleason score, having never fully understood PSA testing or PSA velocity. That experience crystallizes why we believe education and early detection can save lives.   Throughout the conversation, we emphasize that prostate cancer awareness starts with open dialogue. We explore how men often avoid conversations about screening, PSA testing, and digital rectal exams, especially in African American and Hispanic communities. We stress that outdated fears and misinformation continue to keep men from care, even though modern diagnostic tools now offer less invasive and more accurate options. We agree that missed opportunities for education remain one of the biggest barriers to early detection.   We spend significant time discussing the role of women as key drivers of men’s health. We note that wives, daughters, sisters, and partners often motivate men to get screened and seek care. From churches and barbershops to community events and beauty salons, we believe engaging women is one of the most effective strategies for improving prostate cancer awareness and outcomes.  We conclude by reflecting on advocacy, legacy, and service. We agree that saving even one life matters, and that advocacy is fueled by personal connections, gratitude from patients, and a commitment to serve others. Ultimately, we share a belief that prostate cancer advocacy is about education, compassion, and meeting men where they are—so fewer families have to face preventable loss.   The On Call for Men's Health Podcast is produced by JAG Podcast Productions: https://jagpodcastproductions.com/