Former state representative Basye stresses importance of yearly screenings after cancer diagnosis

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A former Mid-Missouri state representative is encouraging people to get regular cancer screenings after he withdrew from a state Senate race this week due to a second cancer diagnosis.

Former state Rep. Chuck Basye was first diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier this year and announced Thursday he has recently received a second cancer diagnosis, also in the prostate region. That led him to drop out of the race for the 19th Senate District.

"Early diagnosis is critical to fighting cancer," Basye said. "I never would have known this if I hadn't been going through the yearly physicals."

Dr. Mark Wakefield, a urologist at MU Health Care, said prostate cancer is the most-common cancer among men. He said about one-in-eight men will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime.

He said while there's always some uncertainty, if they find someone with organ-confined prostate cancer who then has radiation or surgery, that patient has more than a 75% chance of being cured.

"If we can identify patients early, some of our treatments, we're confident can prevent spread down the road," Wakefield said.

Wakefield recommends men ages 50-75 get yearly screenings, along with any men who have a family history of the disease or the BRCA gene.

Basye, 65, has been getting a yearly physical since he turned 50 years old. He said the physical consists of a blood test for prostate-specific antigens, which doctors noticed had been rising the last couple of years.

Basye's doctor recommended that he should see a specialist, and that's when a urologist did a biopsy and discovered an isolated cancer.

"(The doctor) said, 'No one wants to hear that you have cancer, but if you're going to have cancer, this is the one you're going to want to battle because it's very treatable and it typically does not spread,'" Basye said. "So, that was good to hear."

Doctors then decided to run more tests due to Basye's military background and time spent at Camp Lejeune. That's when an MRI detected a second type of cancer, which his doctors thought could be more serious.

He has a biopsy scheduled next week to learn more.

Basye said his brother died from a different form of cancer, but other than that, there is no history of cancer in his family.

Now, he's stressing the importance of getting yearly screenings.

"I know it can be a hassle to take the time to go get a physical and get checked, but men and women really need to do that preventative screening," Basye said. "I think it could end up saving a lot of heartache and potentially save your life."

He has not yet started treatment while he gets advice and waits for more tests to be done.

Wakefield said while it's important for asymptomatic patients to get screened, symptoms of prostate cancer include slow urinary flow, difficulty emptying the bladder and frequent urination.

The state health department said ways to reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer include getting enough folate, taking finasteride and dutasteride, limiting the intake of dairy and calcium and avoiding Vitamin E supplements.

In the meantime, Basye said he will continue working part-time for U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Missouri) to stay busy. In regards to the race for Senate District 19, he said he didn't think he'd be able to give it his all due to his diagnosis.

"This campaign is very involved," Basye said. "It takes a lot of time and I'm going to probably have a lot of medical appointments and procedures done. If I end up having to have treatment for radiation, that might be several different treatments and I have no idea what the after-effects will be of that."

Basye said he has received many kind messages from other lawmakers.

Democrat Stephen Webber -- who is now running unopposed in the District 19 race unless Republicans designate another candidate -- posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday, "Cancer sucks. I pray that Chuck has a speedy recovery, and my thoughts are with his family during this difficult time."