Former US President Joe Biden diagnosed with ‘aggressive’ prostate cancer, says his office
Former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer that has spread to the bone.
Former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer that has spread to the bone, his office said in a statement on Sunday, according to Associated Press.
He received the diagnosis on Friday following complaints of urinary symptoms, the statement said.
Biden and his family are reviewing treatment options.
More about Biden's prostate cancer diagnosis
Prostate cancer is assessed using the Gleason score, which ranges from 1 to 10 and indicates how abnormal the cancer cells are compared to healthy ones.
According to the Associated Press, Biden’s score of 9 indicates a highly aggressive form of the disease.
Prostate cancer commonly spreads to the bones when it metastasises. Once the disease spreads beyond the prostate, it becomes significantly harder to treat, as it’s difficult for medications to target and eliminate all the tumours.
However, in cases like Biden’s—where the cancer relies on hormones to grow—treatments that block hormonal support can be effective.
“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.
At 82, Biden’s health had long been a key concern for voters during his presidency. He ended his campaign for a second term after a poor performance during a June debate while seeking re-election. His then-vice president, Kamala Harris, became the Democratic nominee but lost to Republican Donald Trump, who returned to the presidency after four years.
Despite recent scrutiny, Biden has dismissed concerns about his age.
Biden also faced other health issues during his presidency. In February 2023, doctors removed a basal cell carcinoma— a common skin cancer—from his chest. Back in November 2021, a benign but potentially pre-cancerous polyp was also taken out of his colon.
During his administration, Biden launched the “cancer moonshot” initiative in 2022, aiming to cut the cancer death rate by half within 25 years. The programme was built on efforts he had led as vice president after the loss of his eldest son, Beau, to brain cancer.
Biden, who was president from 2021 to 2025, unexpectedly dropped out of the 2024 race last July following a shaky debate performance against Republican candidate Donald Trump that sparked concern within the Democratic Party. His running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris, replaced him as the nominee but was defeated by Trump in the November election.
