Joe Biden diagnosed with prostate cancer: Explained in 10 points

Prostate cancer is a disease in which cells in the prostate grow out of control, according to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The office of former United States President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he has been diagnosed with ‘aggressive’ prostate cancer. The big announcement on Biden’s health came after the 82-year-old was examined last week after he experienced increasing urinary symptoms, according to the statement.

Joe Biden's cancer has reached his bones, said his office. (File/AFP)

The cancer cells have spread to his bones, and Biden and his family are reviewing treatment options with doctors, said the statement.

Here’s what you need to know about Joe Biden's prostate cancer diagnosis-

1. According to Joe Biden’s office, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive. “While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management," said his office.
2. Prostate cancer is usually survivable if detected early, however, it is still the second leading cause of cancer death in men in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, about one in eight men will be diagnosed with it during their lifetime in the US..
3. The prostate is part of the male reproductive system and is located inside the body. Its most important function is the production of a fluid that, together with sperm cells from the testicles and fluids from other glands, makes up semen, according to the US National Library of Medicine.
4. The prostate is located directly below the bladder and above the muscles of the pelvic floor.
5. Prostate cancer is a disease in which cells in the prostate grow out of control, according to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
6. According to Biden’s office, his cancer cells have spread to the bone. That makes it more serious than localised or early-stage prostate cancer, said AP report.
7. Outcomes have improved in recent decades, and patients can expect to live with metastatic prostate cancer for four or five years, said Dr. Matthew Smith of Massachusetts General Brigham Cancer Centre, the AP report added. “It’s very treatable, but not curable,” Smith said.
8. After cancer is found, the pathologist will give the cancer a grade. The grade of the cancer describes how abnormal the cancer cells look under a microscope and how quickly the cancer is likely to grow and spread. The grade of the cancer is called the Gleason score, according to the US National Cancer Institute.
9. According to the statement from Biden's office, the former US President has a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) and metastasis to the bone.
10. The Gleason score can range from 6 to 10. The higher the Gleason score, the more likely the cancer is to grow and spread quickly. A Gleason score of 6 is a low-grade cancer; a score of 7 is a medium-grade cancer; and a score of 8, 9, or 10 is a high-grade cancer.