Former American President Joe Biden, 82, has been diagnosed with an aggressive type of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones, according to a formal statement issued by his office on Sunday.
Diagnosis was made after a medical examination prompted by increasing urinary symptoms. More tests revealed a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5), i.e., high-grade, aggressive cancer. The implication of bone metastases is that the cancer is beyond the prostate gland.
Although the diagnosis was serious, Biden's medical team observed that the cancer is hormone-sensitive, making it a treatable condition using hormone therapy. The treatment can retard the growth of cancer cells and is a standard strategy for cancers that are responsive to hormonal manipulation, such as prostate cancers.
Biden and his loved ones are presently meeting with medical experts to decide on the best line of treatment. The treatment options being weighed include hormone therapy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or a combination of these, depending on the development and response of the tumor.
Prostate cancer is a very common cancer among men in the US. Early prostate cancer has an excellent prognosis, but advanced prostate cancer with metastasis, particularly to bones, is difficult to treat. But with the recent developments in medical therapy, the prognosis has been improved, and most patients with metastatic prostate cancer can live with the disease for several years.
This diagnosis follows Biden's past health issues. In March 2023, he had the removal of a cancerous skin growth from his chest, which was detected as a basal cell carcinoma. The surgery was successful, and no additional treatment was needed at the time.
Biden's own health has been of interest to the public, especially due to his age and the pressures of his previous job as President. He withdrew from the race for President in 2024 in July 2024 due to concerns about his health and age and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee.
The Biden family also has a direct experience with cancer; their son, Beau Biden, passed away due to brain cancer in 2015. Biden was motivated by this loss to focus on cancer research and treatment programs, such as the "Cancer Moonshot" program that seeks to accelerate the pace of cancer research and enhance patient results.
As the ex-President sets out on his treatment trail, he still gets support from family, friends, and the general public. Additional information on his health and treatment schedule is expected to be provided in subsequent weeks.
