‘Leave it to Beaver’ actor John Amen dies
In memory of beloved “Leave It to Beaver” actor John Amen, who passed away at the age of 76 after a battle with prostate cancer.
Former child actor John Amen, known for his guest appearance on “Leave It to Beaver,” passed away on Friday, November 21, his representative confirmed. He was 76 years old.
Eymen died of prostate cancer at his home in Mukilteo, Washington, his publicist Harlan Boll confirmed to USA TODAY. Aymen learned of her cancer diagnosis in September.
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, affecting one in eight men in the United States. In May 2025, it was revealed that former President Joe Biden had been diagnosed with what his office called “aggressive” prostate cancer, drawing attention to the disease that affects hundreds of thousands of American men each year.
Here’s what you need to know about prostate cancer.
How common is prostate cancer?
The National Cancer Institute says prostate cancer accounts for about 15.4% of all new cancer cases, an estimated 313,780 by 2025.
“I think prostate cancer is something that a lot of men don’t talk about,” Dr. Samuel Heywood, a urologist who specializes in prostate cancer, told USA TODAY when former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin revealed that he underwent surgery for prostate cancer in 2024. “Men can be very stoic and don’t like to talk about their health issues.”
What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms of prostate cancer include:
- Need to urinate frequently, sometimes urgently (especially at night)
- Urine flow is weak or starts and stops
- Pain or burning sensation when urinating
- loss of bladder control
- loss of bowel control
- Ejaculation pain and erectile dysfunction
- blood in semen or urine
- pain in the lower back, lower back, or chest
All men are at risk, but according to the CDC, “the older a man gets, the more likely he is to develop prostate cancer.”
According to the CDC, men with a family history of prostate cancer are also at increased risk. African American men are more likely to get prostate cancer than other men, are more than twice as likely to die from prostate cancer, are more likely to get prostate cancer at a younger age than other men, and are often at a more advanced stage when their cancer is discovered.
Prostate cancer prognosis and treatment
According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 1 in 44 men will die from prostate cancer, but most men diagnosed with the disease do not die from prostate cancer.
According to the National Cancer Institute, the five-year relative survival rate for non-metastatic prostate cancer is 97.9%. According to the Mayo Clinic, the survival rate for prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body is about 38%.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, management of the disease may include surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, among other treatment options.
Contributors: Anna Kaufman, James Powell
