According to a statement released by his personal office on Sunday, former President Joe Biden was diagnosed with a “aggressive form” of prostate cancer that had spread to his bones.

After experiencing worsening symptoms related to his urine, President Joe Biden was examined last week for a new discovery of a prostate nodule. He received a prostate cancer diagnosis on Friday, which was described as having metastases to the bone and a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5), according to the statement.

“Even though this is a more severe form of the disease, the cancer seems to be hormone-sensitive, which enables effective management,” it went on.

According to the statement, Biden, 82, and his family “are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”

In a Monday post on X, the former president stated, “Cancer touches us all.”

Then, on October 4, 2024, in Washington, DC, US President Joe Biden makes an appearance at a press conference held in the White House’s Brady Press Briefing Room.

“We have learned that we are strongest in the broken places,” he continued, referring to his wife, former first lady Jill Biden. We appreciate your love and support in keeping us up.

The announcement was made just days after a Biden representative claimed that the former president was recently examined for a “small nodule” that was found on his prostate.

Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, an assistant professor at the University of Central Florida’s College of Medicine and urologist and robotic surgeon with Orlando Health, who is not involved in Biden’s treatment, stated that prostate cancer is “quite common.” “Most men will have small cancer cells in them as they age.”

Based on the appearance of the cells under a microscope, prostate cancers can be graded, or given a Gleason score. In an email, Dr. Benjamin Davies, a urologic oncology professor at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center who is not associated with Biden’s case, stated that a Gleason score of nine “means it’s the most aggressive form of prostate cancer.”

According to a familiar source, Biden is spending this weekend at his residence in Wilmington, Delaware. CNN has asked where the former president is receiving medical care.

Biden’s health was a concern during the 2024 election.
As the oldest president in US history, Biden’s age and health issues plagued him during his tenure in office and gained more attention after his lackluster debate performance against Donald Trump in June of last year.

Under the direction of his doctor, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Biden had a physical at Walter Reed National Military Center in February 2024. At the time, O’Connor declared that the president was “fit for duty” and that there were “no new concerns” regarding his health.

Even prior to Biden’s disastrous debate, which resulted in his decision to withdraw from the 2024 election three weeks later, the president had been exhibiting signs of decline that aides either disregarded or rationalized, according to a new book written by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson of Axios.

According to Tapper and Thompson, Biden failed to identify movie star George Clooney at a June 2024 fundraiser, and his aides privately debated whether they would have to put him in a wheelchair for his second term.

Since leaving the White House, Biden has kept a low profile, but he has begun to gradually make a comeback to the public eye. He denied rumors that he suffered from cognitive decline during his last year in office when he appeared with his wife, Jill Biden, on ABC’s “The View” earlier this month.

“They’re mistaken,” Joe Biden declared. “That is not supported by anything.”

“The people who wrote those books weren’t in the White House with us, and they didn’t see how hard Joe worked every single day,” the former first lady continued. He would get up, work all day, and then, while I was reading my book in bed at night, he would still be on the phone, reading his briefings, and interacting with staff.

Even after the former president withdrew from the 2024 contest, Trump persisted in his criticism of Biden and his assertion that Biden had cognitive decline. Trump repeatedly attacked his predecessor during his trip to the Middle East last week, largely disregarding the long-standing presidential custom of refraining from disparaging domestic political rivals while abroad. Trump, however, set his emotions aside on Sunday and wished the former president well.

The news of Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis saddens Melania and me. He wrote on Truth Social, “We wish Joe a speedy and full recovery and send our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family.”

In addition to wishing the former president a speedy recovery, former vice president Kamala Harris, who took over the Democratic campaign after Biden withdrew, said, “Joe is a fighter.”

“The news of President Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis saddens Doug and me. Our thoughts and prayers are with him, Dr. Biden, and their whole family during this difficult time,” Harris wrote on X. Joe is a fighter, and I have no doubt that he will approach this task with the same fortitude, tenacity, and hope that have always characterized his life and leadership. We wish for a complete and quick recovery.

Experts say that although cancer is “very serious,” there is “some good news.”
In addition to the Gleason score, other variables that are crucial in predicting the potential behavior of the cancer and the best course of treatment include blood prostate-specific antigen levels, imaging results, and biopsy results.

On January 16, 2025, US President Joe Biden attends a farewell ceremony for the Department of Defense Commander in Chief at Joint Base Myers-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia. (Image courtesy of AFP/Roberto Schmidt) (Photo via Getty Images by ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP)
As long as the cancer is treated, even patients with high-risk prostate cancer “can live a pretty normal life and have a good quality of life,” according to Brahmbhatt. Each patient receives a customized course of treatment, which may include hormone therapy, chemotherapy, or radiation.

Davies stated that Biden’s cancer “is very serious and not curable” because it has spread to the bone. The more recent hormonal and chemotherapy treatments that have entered this field in recent years, however, have produced some encouraging results and greatly increased patient longevity.

According to Brahmbhatt, it might take “a few weeks” to determine how Biden’s treatment develops. “You have to be very careful about what you end up doing because you don’t want to be overly aggressive because some of the treatments can affect memory, mood, and quality of life.”

Biden’s contribution to the battle against cancer
Biden has a long history with cancer; in 2015, his son Beau, a former Delaware attorney general and Iraq War veteran, passed away at the age of 46 from brain cancer.

Then-President Barack Obama appointed Biden, his vice president, to head the White House task force on cancer treatment in a presidential memorandum in 2016. Biden promised at the time that he had “never been more optimistic that we can do big things,” even though he was “not naïve about the challenges ahead.”

The “Cancer Moonshot” initiative was revived in 2022 by then-President Biden, who pledged to work toward a minimum 50% reduction in the country’s cancer death rate over the following 25 years.

“We are coordinating nationwide efforts to reduce the number of cancer-related deaths in the United States by 20 to 25 years and to increase patient and family support.” I have faith that we can accomplish that. In August of last year, Biden boasted about $150 million in new research awards and said, “I know we can, but it’s not just personal — it’s about what’s possible.”

In their well-wishes, Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton emphasized Biden’s work to eradicate cancer.

“The Bidens are on my mind as they battle cancer, a condition they have worked so hard to protect other families from. “I hope you get well soon,” Clinton wrote on X.

Obama wrote on X, “Michelle and I are thinking of the entire Biden family.” Joe has done more than anyone else to develop ground-breaking therapies for cancer in all of its manifestations, and I have no doubt that he will meet this challenge with his characteristic poise and determination. We offer up prayers for a speedy and complete recovery.