During one of the most-watched televised events of the year, prostate cancer screening took an unexpected and welcome place in the national spotlight.
During Sunday night’s Super Bowl, millions of viewers saw a commercial as part of the “Relax, It’s a Blood Test” campaign, a national effort designed to reframe conversations around prostate cancer screening. By pairing humor with an evidence-based message the campaign reached an audience that has historically been one of the hardest to engage in preventive health conversations: men.
For UNC Urology and the UNC Men’s Health Program, the moment resonated deeply.
Men are less likely to seek preventive care, less likely to talk openly about health concerns, and more likely to delay discussions about screening. Bringing prostate cancer awareness into the Super Bowl, a cultural touchstone with a massive and significantly male audience, represents a meaningful step toward normalizing those conversations and reducing barriers to care.
Turning a Cultural Moment into Meaningful Action
Prostate cancer remains one of the most common cancers among men, with early detection playing a critical role in outcomes. Campaigns like “Relax, It’s a Blood Test” aim to replace fear and misinformation with clarity — emphasizing that screening decisions should be informed, individualized, and grounded in conversations between patients and their clinicians.
The campaign brings together a broad coalition of advocacy and education partners, including Novartis, the American Cancer Society, Male Care, NASPCC, Prostate Cancer Foundation, Prostate Health Education Network, and ZERO Prostate Cancer.
UNC Urology and the UNC Men’s Health Program: Early Detection. Local Data. Statewide Action.
While the Super Bowl moment was national in scope, the impact of prostate cancer is felt locally — and the data in North Carolina underscore why awareness and screening matter.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among men in North Carolina, following lung cancer. When detected early, prostate cancer is highly treatable, with nearly all men diagnosed before the cancer spreads surviving five years or longer. When diagnosed at later stages, survival drops dramatically.
Across North Carolina, rates of new prostate cancer cases and deaths vary widely by county and by race or ethnicity, highlighting persistent disparities in risk, access to screening, and outcomes. Understanding where these differences exist is a critical step toward improving early detection and ensuring equitable care statewide.
Read the NC Men’s Health Report Card
Moments like Sunday night’s Super Bowl commercial amplify this work, reinforcing that prostate health is not a fringe topic or an uncomfortable afterthought, but a mainstream health issue deserving of open, informed discussion. In that spirit, UNC Urology supports approachable, “pants-on” screening conversations that help men take the first step without fear or hesitation.
We applaud the organizations and advocates who helped bring prostate cancer awareness to one of the largest audiences of the year.