Warren Buffet has been diagnosed with stage 1 prostate cancer, according to a statement from Buffet and his company, Berkshire Hathaway, to shareholders.
In the letter, Buffet says he feels great, and that doctors don't believe his condition is life-threatening. He plans to begin a two-month course of radiation treatment mid-July.
At 81, a prostate cancer diagnosis is not entirely surprising. According to the Cleveland Clinic, 80 percent of men who reach their 80s will have some cancerous cells in the prostate.
The severity of prostate cancer is measured in stages. Stage 1 is the least advanced, and only found within the prostate, according to The National Cancer Institute. It is detected by biopsy, testing for a man's Gleason score and PSA (prostate-specific antigen) level. The higher the PSA level in the blood, the more likely there is cancer. "I discovered the cancer because my PSA level ... recently jumped beyond its normal elevation and a biopsy seemed warranted," Buffet said in the statement.
Buffet's diagnosis comes on the heels of actor Ryan O'Neal's announcement late last week that he has recently been diagnosed with stage 2 prostate cancer.
The actor, 70, who previously battled leukemia, said in a statement: "Although I was shocked and stunned by the news, I feel fortunate that it was detected early and according to my extraordinary team of doctors the prognosis is positive for a full recovery," People reported.
O'Neal and Buffett are among the growing ranks of men who have opted to speak out about their diagnoses, in the hopes of raising awareness for a disease that kills more than 28,000 men a year, according to the American Cancer Society. Here's a look at a few of those famous faces.
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