Back in May, Biden announced that he had been diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of prostate cancer, revealing at the time that he was pursuing several treatment options.
The discovery was reportedly made after the 82-year-old reported urinary symptoms, leading to doctors finding a small nodule on his prostate.
“Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms,” Biden’s office said in a statement.
“On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterised by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone.
“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management.”
WOODSIDE, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 15: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks at a news conference at the Filoli Estate on November 15, 2023 in Woodside, California. The news conference follows a meeting between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ week, their first since meeting at the Indonesian island resort of Bali in November 2022. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
Biden himself thanked the subsequent outpouring of support and good will, writing: “Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support.”
Since then updates on Biden’s overall health and condition have come few and far between. Given the former president’s advanced age, it’s no great surprise that he has withdrawn from the public spotlight following the call to pull out of the 2024 presidential election.
What’s more, question marks relating to his health have been a matter of speculation since long before he revealed his cancer diagnosis. Indeed, increased scrutiny and public pressure were at the core of his decision to step aside so that Kamala Harris could become the Democratic presidential nominee.
Biden has long been an advocate for cancer research, having lost his son, Beau, to brain cancer in 2015.
Now, a spokesperson for the former POTUS has offered an update on his battle with the illness, revealing that Biden is receiving radiation therapy as part of his treatment plan, as well as hormone treatment.
“As part of a treatment plan for prostate cancer, President Biden is currently undergoing radiation therapy and hormone treatment,” the spokesperson said.
“The cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management.”
Speaking of his own diagnosis earlier this year, Biden said: “It’s all a matter of taking a pill, one particular pill, for the next six weeks and then another one.
“Well, the prognosis is good. You know, we’re working on everything. It’s moving along. So I feel good.”
Back in May, Fox News’ senior medical analyst, Dr. Marc Siegel, openly questioned how Biden’s cancer hadn’t been caught earlier.
“This was found by physical examination by a prostate exam. A lot of times, we find an elevation in prostate-specific antigen, PSA, and then we go after it‚” Siegel said after the cancer annoucement, adding that he tests all of his male patients who are older than 45 for the disease.
Yet it was the Chief Scientific Officer at the American Cancer Society, Dr William Dahut, who perhaps gave the most damning verdict, revealing that if the cancer has spread to the bones, they “in general” don’t consider it “curable”.
“In general, if cancer has spread to the bones, we don’t think it is considered a curable cancer,” Dr Dahut said.
He did note, however, that most patients tend to respond well to initial treatment, “and people can live many years with the diagnosis”.
Here’s to wishing Joe Biden well in the months and years to come.
