Joe Biden Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer: Details Emerge
Recently, news broke that former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. His office confirmed the diagnosis on Sunday.
After experiencing urinary symptoms, Biden sought medical attention last week. Doctors discovered a prostate nodule, leading to a diagnosis of prostate cancer on Friday. The cancer has metastasized, spreading to his bone.
“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management,” his office revealed. “The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”
Prostate cancer severity is indicated by a Gleason score, ranging from 1 to 10 based on the appearance of cancer cells compared to normal cells. Biden’s Gleason score is 9, indicating a highly aggressive form of cancer.
When prostate cancer metastasizes, it frequently spreads to bones, complicating treatment efforts. This is due to the challenge drugs face in reaching and eliminating all tumors. However, cancers that are hormone-sensitive, like Biden’s, can often be treated effectively by restricting the hormones that fuel tumor growth.
Biden’s health had been a point of concern for voters during his presidency. Following a difficult debate in June while campaigning for reelection, Biden withdrew his candidacy. This led to then-Vice President Kamala Harris securing the nomination, only to be defeated by Donald Trump, who re-entered the White House after a four-year break.
Despite speculations about his age and health, Biden has dismissed these concerns. Reports in the book “Original Sin” by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson suggest that aides may have downplayed his health issues during his presidency.
Biden’s medical history includes a basal cell carcinoma removal from his chest in February 2023 and a benign polyp removal from his colon in November 2021, which was potentially pre-cancerous.
In 2022, Biden championed a “cancer moonshot” initiative aimed at reducing cancer mortality by 50% over the next 25 years. This mission continues his efforts from his vice-presidential tenure, motivated by the loss of his elder son, Beau, to cancer.
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