(This article by Todd Gilchrist originally appeared in the March 2026 issue of Military Officer, a magazine available to all MOAA Premium and Life members who can log in to access our digital version and archive. Basic members can save on a membership upgrade and access the magazine.)

With an approximate diagnosis rate of 1 in 5, prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer among U.S. veterans, according to the VA and a recent study in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

Accounting for about 30% of all cancer diagnoses through the VA, that rate points to a lifetime risk that’s nearly twice the rate of the general population.

Along with more than 200,000 veterans who are prostate cancer survivors, nearly 500,000 prostate cancer patients currently are in the VA’s health system, per the nonprofit ZERO Prostate Cancer.

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The reasons for higher incidence rates for veterans are varied, including exposures in the line of service, higher screening rates, or other demographic factors such as an older median age among veterans. Black men are more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than their white counterparts, although reasons for disparities are not entirely clear, according to a 2020 report by the National Cancer Institute. Black men also tend to be diagnosed at younger ages and with more advanced disease, and they are more than twice as likely to die of the disease.

Such detailed documentation, recorded in the Veterans Affairs Central Cancer Registry, exemplifies the VA’s commitment to treating veterans. The organization’s efforts were enshrined into law with the 2022 passage of the Joseph Maxwell Cleland and Robert Joseph Dole Memorial Veterans Benefits and Health Care Improvement Act. Otherwise known as the Cleland-Dole Act, this legislation requires the VA to advance research, diagnoses, and treatment.

Though some men should begin a conversation with their health care provider in their mid-40s, the VA recommends prostate cancer screenings for veterans age 55-69, typically the prostate-specific antigen blood test. Those with a family history of cancer (especially male relatives) might be at increased risk, but the department stresses the importance of talking with a provider about when and how regularly screenings should occur, not least of which because not all prostate cancer diagnoses require treatment.

[FROM VA.GOV: Prostate Cancer Care at VA]

Those diagnosed with prostate cancer can work with the VA and their individual care provider to create a treatment plan tailored to their unique genetic profile. Through its Durham VA Medical Center, the department provides (primarily virtually) a clinical pathway to help veterans get care for prostate cancer. A variety of cutting-edge therapies deliver full-service treatment including imaging, chemotherapy, and surgery.

Additional programs, such as the VA’s MOVE! Weight Management Program, provide care that can both help reduce health risks and facilitate recuperation.

After enrolling in primary care through the VA’s My HealtheVet online portal, veterans can explore options, receive info from oncology experts, and identify a treatment plan.

Todd Gilchrist is a writer based in Los Angeles.