Former WCVB, ABC News medical editor Dr. Timothy Johnson shares cancer battle

Dr. Timothy Johnson, who served as a medical editor for both WCVB and ABC News for many years, announced Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

During an appearance on Wednesday's "Good Morning America," the 89-year-old Johnson explained that the diagnosis followed a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test conducted during his yearly checkup. "In my last Medicare annual exam, I walked in the door and said to my doctor, a friend, 'Let's throw in a PSA just for the heck of it.' And it came back 13.7, which is much higher than it should be," Johnson stated. "I was stunned. I was absolutely shocked."

Prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer among men, excluding skin cancer. In the United States, it's also a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men, surpassed only by lung cancer.

Johnson reported that the cancer has spread to his lymph nodes. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. he remains optimistic about his prognosis. "I'm quite convinced it will be controlled, maybe even cured. But if I had gotten a PSA much earlier, it would be much more simple. The treatment much easier," he commented.

Despite the fact that medical organizations generally do not recommend PSA tests for men over 70, Johnson believes earlier testing could have detected his cancer sooner. He explained, "Presumably, I would have noticed it creeping up year to year, and that would have triggered some tests to see if there was cancer there and if there was cancer that was causing the higher PSA, we would have treated it very simply. But now, because it's more advanced, we have to do some anti-androgen therapy, anti-testosterone therapy and then probably some radiation."

Known as "America's Doctor" by many, Johnson is now urging men over the age of 70 to continue undergoing PSA tests. "If you're over 70 but you're healthy, your mind is intact, get a yearly PSA for a while. And if they stay low, maybe every two years, maybe every three years," he advised. "But don't wait 14 years like I did."

Johnson retired from ABC News in 2010 and from WCVB-TV in 2012.