Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, according to an announcement from his office on Sunday.
This diagnosis followed recent medical checkups that revealed some concerning signs. The 82-year-old Joe Biden had reported issues with urinary symptoms, which led doctors to find a lump on his prostate. He received the cancer diagnosis on Friday, and unfortunately, it was found that the cancer cells had spread to his bones.
“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management,” his office said. President Biden and his family are currently discussing treatment options with his doctors.
Prostate cancers can differ in how aggressively they grow, and they are often rated with a Gleason grading system score. The scores range from 2 to 10, with higher scores indicating more aggressive forms of cancer that can spread rapidly to other parts of the body. President Biden’s Gleason score was reported to be 9, indicating that he has one of the more aggressive types of prostate cancer.
In February 2023, while serving as president, Biden had a lesion removed from his chest. His doctor, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, later confirmed that it was a form of skin cancer called basal cell carcinoma but reassured everyone that all the cancerous tissue was successfully removed and that Biden wouldn’t need any further treatment.
But in the case of prostate cancer, it’s important to note that when it spreads to other parts of the body, it often moves to the bones. This kind of advanced cancer is tougher to treat because it can be tricky for medications to reach all the affected areas. However, since Biden’s type of prostate cancer relies on hormones to grow, doctors can use treatments that cut off these hormones to help manage the disease.
Fortunately, treatments for prostate cancer have improved significantly over the years. Doctors now say that patients with advanced prostate cancer can usually expect to live for four to five more years. Dr. Matthew Smith from Massachusetts General Brigham Cancer Center mentioned, “It’s very treatable, but not curable.” He further explained that most men in this situation would typically receive medication rather than surgery or radiation.
Many political figures have sent their well-wishes to Biden for a speedy recovery.