By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Reporter
FORMER United States (US) President Joe Biden is announced to be undergoing evaluation for treatment after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has metastasised to his bones, a statement from his personal office confirmed on Sunday.
The 82-year-old was seen last week after developing increasing urinary symptoms, which led to the discovery of a prostate nodule.
A subsequent biopsy revealed a Gleason score of 9, categorising the illness as Grade Group 5—the most severe form of the disease.
The statement noted the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which offers a pathway for effective medical management.
Biden and his family are now considering treatment options with his physicians. He remains at his Wilmington, Delaware home.
On Monday, Biden shared a personal message on X: “Cancer touches us all. Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support.”
The diagnosis follows recent concerns regarding Biden’s health, which were already under scrutiny following a difficult 2024 re-election campaign.
He ended his bid for a second term weeks after a faltering televised debate performance against Donald Trump in June 2024 intensified public and political pressure.
Despite a clean bill of health in his last physical in February that year, details emerging from new books by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson revealed internal concern among aides over Biden’s cognitive and physical capabilities, including a moment where he allegedly failed to recognise actor George Clooney at a fundraiser.
Biden and former first lady Jill Biden have largely kept a low public profile since leaving the White House.
Earlier this month, they made a joint appearance on ABC’s “The View,” where both pushed back against narratives suggesting cognitive decline during his final year in office. “There is nothing to sustain that,” Biden said firmly.
News of the cancer diagnosis prompted an outpouring of support across political divides.
Current President Donald Trump set aside rivalry to offer his best wishes via Truth Social: “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.”
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who succeeded Biden as the Democratic nominee for the 2024 race, described him as a “fighter,” expressing confidence in his strength to battle the illness.
Former President Barack Obama praised Biden’s longstanding commitment to fighting cancer, writing on X: “Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace.”
Bidens’ Cancer History
Biden’s personal history with cancer has defined his advocacy in the field.
His eldest son, Beau Biden, died of brain cancer in 2015.
As vice president, Biden was tapped by President Obama to lead the “Cancer Moonshot” initiative, and in 2022, he relaunched the programme with a renewed goal to reduce cancer death rates in the US by 50% within 25 years. Last August, he announced $150 million in new research funding.
Medical experts unaffiliated with Biden’s care have weighed in on the implications of the diagnosis saying that a Gleason score of 9 indicates a highly aggressive form of cancer, typically associated with rapid growth and high likelihood of spread.
Prostate cancer that has metastasised to the bone is not considered curable, but specialists emphasise that recent advancements in hormonal and chemotherapy treatments have significantly extended survival rates and improved quality of life.
Doctors note that Biden’s cancer is hormone-sensitive, which is key in selecting treatment.
Options likely include hormone therapy to suppress testosterone levels and possibly targeted chemotherapy or radiation, aimed at managing symptoms and slowing progression. Surgery is generally not viable once the cancer has spread to distant sites such as bone.
The National Institutes of Health reports that prostate cancer remains the most common cancer in American men after skin cancer, with over 313,000 new cases projected this year.
Approximately 35,000 deaths are expected in 2025 due to prostate cancer alone, though the overall five-year relative survival rate remains high—about 98%—especially with early detection.
Understanding the Gleason Score
The Gleason score is a grading system used to assess how aggressive prostate cancer is likely to be. It doesn’t predict the outcome, but it does indicate the likelihood of the cancer growing and spreading.
The higher the score, the more abnormal the cancer cells appear under a microscope and the faster they are expected to multiply.
According to the National Institutes of Health, the score is determined by examining a prostate biopsy and identifying the two most prevalent patterns of cancer cells.
Each pattern is graded on a scale from 1 to 5 based on how closely the cells resemble normal prostate tissue. The grades are then added together, yielding a total score that typically ranges from 6 to 10.
Biden’s Gleason score of 9 reflects a particularly aggressive form of prostate cancer. This indicates that the cancer cells look markedly different from normal tissue and are likely to grow and spread rapidly.
A score of 9 corresponds to Grade Group 5—the highest risk category—associated with increased chances of metastasis and a more complex prognosis. However, the hormone-sensitive nature of Biden’s cancer introduces a meaningful avenue for treatment.
What Treatment Might Involve
While no official treatment plan has been confirmed, Biden’s medical team is likely to consider androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), a form of hormone therapy designed to lower levels of testosterone—the hormone that fuels most prostate cancers.
This approach is often effective in slowing disease progression and managing symptoms, even in cases where the cancer has spread to the bones.
Routine monitoring of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels remains essential during treatment, as changes in PSA can signal cancer activity and help assess how well the therapy is working.
Surgical options are generally ruled out when the disease has metastasised, as appears to be the case with Biden, making systemic therapies the preferred route.
Following the announcement, the American Cancer Society issued a statement underscoring the gravity of the diagnosis:
“This news is a reminder about the tragic impact of prostate cancer in the U.S. Early detection is key, and we are concerned given the 5% year-over-year increase in diagnosis of men with more advanced disease. We can and must do more to prevent late-stage diagnosis and death from prostate cancer.”
