Bishop Larry D. Trotter will have surgery next month to treat prostate cancer.
In a statement released Tuesday, the pastor of Chicago's Sweet Holy Name Church said he recently recently told congregants about the diagnosis. He said doctors have told him the cancer is in its earliest stages and that his prognosis is "good."
"Thanks to routine screening this was diagnosed early and I expect a full and speedy recovery," he said. "After reviewing all the options with multiple physicians, I decided to take a proactive approach and have surgery."
The procedure was scheduled for May 20.
Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer among men. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said more than 206,000 men were diagnosed with the disease in 2009, the most recent year for which numbers are available.
