'It has run through my family': 'Grey's Anatomy' star James Pickens Jr on prostate cancer diagnosis

"Grey's Anatomy" star James Pickens Jr said he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, but it is something that runs through his family so he wasn't surprised with the diagnosis.

Prostate cancer is a growth of cells that starts in the prostate and is one of the most common types of cancer. Most people with prostate cancer are cured, according to Mayo Clinic.

The 71-year-old actor said not only his father James Pickens Sr but other relatives also had prostate cancer and no one "has succumbed to it".

"It's not the kind of news anyone wants to hear, but to be honest, prostate cancer has run through my family...My father had it. He had a lot of brothers; several of them had it. I would have been surprised if I hadn't gotten it," Pickens told Black Health Matters outlet in an interview.

"I've got a 90-year-old first cousin, who's still alive, actually; he had it...His son has it. A couple of his brothers had it. No one, as far as I know, has succumbed to it. We caught it really early, and so they thought that would be the best route to take," he added.

The actor is best known for his role as Dr Richard Webber in the long-running medical drama "Grey's Anatomy" which is now in its 22nd season. He has also worked on popular shows such as "The Conners", "Roseanne" and "The X-Files".