On Sunday, the office of former President Joe Biden revealed that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Biden consulted doctors last week following the appearance of urinary symptoms and the detection of a prostate nodule. By Friday, the diagnosis was confirmed: prostate cancer had metastasized to his bones, classifying his condition as Stage 9.
"Although this signifies a more virulent strain of the disease, fortunately, the cancer exhibits hormone sensitivity, paving the way for effective management strategies," Biden's office stated. "The President and his family are currently deliberating with his medical team on potential treatment avenues."
Prostate cancers are graded using a scale known as the Gleason score, ranging from 1 to 10, which evaluates the similarity of cancerous cells to healthy ones. Biden's score of 9 indicates a particularly aggressive form of the disease.
When prostate cancer invades other bodily regions, bones are often targeted. Metastatic cancer poses a greater therapeutic challenge than localized cancer because medications may struggle to permeate all tumors and eradicate the disease comprehensively.
However, in Biden's case, since his prostate cancer depends on hormones for growth, it may respond favorably to hormone-deprivation therapies.
Throughout Biden's presidency, his health, at 82, remained a paramount concern for voters. Following a contentious debate in June of his reelection bid year, Biden opted not to seek a second term. Subsequently, then-Vice President Kamala Harris assumed the nomination but ultimately lost to Republican Donald Trump, who reclaimed the Oval Office after a four-year absence.
Despite recent claims in Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson's book "Original Sin" that Biden's aides concealed the extent of his decline during his presidency, Biden has dismissed concerns about his age.
Previously, in February 2023, Biden underwent surgery to remove a basal cell carcinoma lesion from his chest, a prevalent type of skin cancer. In November 2021, he had a benign but potentially precancerous polyp excised from his colon.
In 2022, Biden prioritized a "cancer moonshot" initiative, aiming to slash the cancer death rate by half over the next quarter-century. This endeavor was an extension of his vice presidential mission to combat the disease that claimed the life of his eldest son, Beau.
Meanwhile, Trump posted about Biden's diagnosis on his Truth Social platform, expressing condolences: "[First Lady] Melania and I are deeply saddened to learn of Joe Biden's recent health diagnosis. We send our heartfelt wishes to Jill and the family, hoping for Joe's swift and full recovery."
