WASHINGTON, D.C. – Florida Sen. Bill Nelson announced Thursday he will have surgery to remove prostate cancer.
The surgery will take place Monday in Washington.
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Nelson's office said although he's had no symptoms, doctors found the cancer early in a routine medical exam. Extensive scans showed no signs of cancer spreading outside the prostate.
News4Jax spoke to local oncologist Dr. Scot Ackerman about the type of surgery Nelson will be undergoing.
"The other two treatments for prostate cancer are surgery and radiation. So surgery, which is what Sen. Nelson is going to have, is where we remove the prostate quickly. That's done and men who have a small tumor that's localized prostate where we feel the risk of tumor outside the prostate is significantly low," Ackerman said.
Ackerman also said prostate cancer is common, especially as men get older.
"A man's risk of prostate cancer increases with age. We rarely see it in men under the age of 40. But once men get into their 40s and 50s they should start being aware of prostate cancer," Ackerman said. "It's very important for men to have a meaningful discussion with their physician about prostate cancer and their screening and what their risk is for prostate cancer."
According to the American Cancer Society, when found early, prostate cancer is rarely fatal. Nelson is currently serving in his third term in the Florida Senate.
Nelson said the diagnosis does not affect his plan to run for re-election in 2018.