Joe Biden has been diagnosed with a serious form of prostate cancer, his office said on Sunday.
Doctors found the disease after he experienced urinary symptoms and a prostate nodule was detected last week. Testing confirmed on Friday that the cancer had spread to his bones. It’s classified as stage 9.
“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management,” his office said. “The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”
How Serious Is It?
Doctors classify prostate cancers by implementing the Gleason score system to evaluate cancer cell abnormality against normal tissue appearance. If a patient receives a Gleason score of 9, the cancer is considered aggressive and fast-spreading.
Once prostate cancer spreads, it often moves into the bones. That makes treatment much harder. At this stage, medication has a tougher time reaching every tumor in the body.
But there is a silver lining. Since Biden’s cancer is hormone-sensitive, doctors can use treatments that block the hormones feeding the cancer. That could help slow its growth or even shrink it.
Health and the Presidency
Biden, now 82, has long faced questions about his age and health. Those concerns grew during his presidency, especially after a rough debate performance in June. He later ended his campaign for a second term.
Kamala Harris, his vice president, stepped in as the Democratic nominee. She lost the general election to Republican Donald Trump, who returned to the White House.
Even after stepping back, Biden pushed back against claims about his decline. A recent book, Original Sin, by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, reported that his aides had tried to downplay signs of aging during his time in office.
His Medical History
Joe Biden has dealt with cancer before this time.
The medical team performed surgery to eliminate a basal cell carcinoma from his chest in February 2023. The doctors removed a colon polyp from him during November 2021, which showed no signs of cancer but posed a risk if not treated.
Throughout his life, cancer has affected Biden on a personal level. Brain cancer claimed the life of his firstborn son, Beau Biden in 2015.
During his presidency, Biden initiated a new version of the Cancer Moonshot program in the year 2022. The specific target of this initiative is to reduce cancer-related mortality rates by half by 2047. The new initiative continued the work Biden started.
Trump’s Response
Donald Trump, now back in office, reacted to the news on his Truth Social platform.
“[First Lady] Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis. We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”
