Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, his office announced Sunday. The 82-year-old was evaluated last week after experiencing urinary symptoms and was found to have a prostate nodule. Further tests confirmed the diagnosis on Friday, revealing that the cancer has spread to his bones.
The cancer is considered aggressive, with a Gleason score of 9, indicating one of the most severe forms of the disease. However, doctors say it is hormone-sensitive, which allows for treatment options that target hormone levels to manage tumor growth.
Biden and his family are currently reviewing treatment plans with his medical team. Cancer that spreads beyond the prostate is significantly harder to treat, especially when it reaches the bones, but hormone therapy can be effective in cases like his.
Health concerns have long followed Biden through his political career, especially during his presidency. Following a widely criticized debate performance during his reelection campaign in 2024, Biden withdrew from the race. Vice President Kamala Harris then became the Democratic nominee but was defeated by Donald Trump, who returned to the presidency.
Biden previously faced other health issues, including a basal cell carcinoma removed in 2023 and a precancerous colon polyp in 2021. His personal history with cancer, including the 2015 death of his son Beau from brain cancer, led him to launch a national “cancer moonshot” initiative as president, aiming to halve cancer deaths over 25 years.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, AP