**Joe Biden Diagnosed with Aggressive Metastatic Prostate Cancer**
Former United States president Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an advanced and aggressive form of prostate cancer, according to a statement released by his office. The 82-year-old’s condition was revealed following a series of medical tests prompted by recent urinary symptoms that required clinical investigation.
Biden’s medical evaluation uncovered a nodule on his prostate, which on further analysis was confirmed to be cancerous. The diagnosis, delivered last Friday, revealed that the disease had already spread beyond the prostate to the bone—a development known as metastasis that often indicates a significant escalation in complexity and seriousness.
Medical professionals examining Biden’s case noted that his cancer is categorised as hormone-sensitive. This classification means that, despite the aggressive advancement, there remain effective avenues for slow-down or management using hormone deprivation therapies. The former president and his close family are now consulting with healthcare specialists to determine the most appropriate course of treatment for his situation.
A critical detail highlighted by Biden’s office was his “Gleason score”, a medical grading system used to gauge the severity and potential behaviour of prostate cancer cells by examining how closely they resemble healthy cells. Biden’s score was reported to be a nine out of ten—placing it firmly within the range of the most aggressive types of prostate cancer. For comparison, lower scores correspond with less aggressive disease, while higher ones, such as Biden’s, often indicate both rapid progression and the likelihood of spread.
When cancer of the prostate migrates to other parts of the body, the bones are among the sites most commonly affected. At this advanced stage, treatment becomes especially challenging, as medication must reach tumours that may be dispersed throughout the body. Achieving a complete cure is less likely, and therapeutic focus often shifts to managing the disease’s progression and the patient’s quality of life.
Nonetheless, given the hormone-sensitive nature of his cancer, therapies designed to inhibit or eliminate access to hormones may curb tumour growth and prolong survival. These methods form the backbone of modern treatment plans for advanced prostate cancer, often used alongside newer, targeted drugs.
Biden’s health has frequently been a focal point of discussion, especially during his tenure as president and notably during his campaign for a second term. After what observers described as a faltering performance during a televised debate in June 2024, concerns about his physical and cognitive health intensified. Ultimately, Biden announced that he would not seek re-election, and his vice president, Kamala Harris, took his place as the Democratic nominee, later losing to Donald Trump.
Through his presidency, Biden encountered several other health scares. In early 2023, he underwent surgery to remove a common type of skin cancer from his chest. Two years prior, in 2021, a potentially pre-cancerous but non-malignant polyp was excised from his colon. These episodes, along with the latest diagnosis, have placed a spotlight on the former president’s well-being.
It is worth noting that Biden has long maintained a commitment to fighting cancer. Inspired by the loss of his eldest son, Beau, to brain cancer, he launched a major “cancer moonshot” initiative in 2022. The aim was to halve the national cancer death rate within 25 years—a mission that has gained renewed relevance as he now faces his own battle.
The story of Biden’s latest diagnosis serves as a pertinent reminder of the indiscriminate nature of serious illness and the ongoing challenges faced by individuals and their families in the wake of aggressive cancer diagnoses. As news unfolds, the world will be watching closely to see how the former president and his medical advisers confront the challenge ahead.