Former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones, according to a statement from his office on Sunday. The 82-year-old was evaluated after developing worsening urinary symptoms and a newly detected prostate nodule.
Despite the severity of the diagnosis, the cancer is reportedly hormone-sensitive, allowing for potential treatment options such as hormone therapy. His medical team is currently reviewing the best course of action with Biden and his family.
The cancer was assigned a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5)—the most serious classification, indicating highly abnormal cancer cells.
Biden, who left office in January after becoming the oldest president in U.S. history, had long faced scrutiny over his age and health. Last July, he ended his bid for reelection following a poor debate performance against Donald Trump, which reignited concerns about his cognitive condition.
His vice president, Kamala Harris, later lost the general election to Trump. Biden has continued to insist he could have won, though revelations about his health and fitness during his presidency remain a topic of public and political debate.
Adding to public interest is the forthcoming book Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson. The book is expected to delve into the internal discussions surrounding Biden’s condition and the decisions made by his staff.
Biden’s life has been marked by personal and medical challenges. He lost his wife and infant daughter in a car accident in 1972, underwent brain surgery in 1988, and battled skin cancer. His son Beau Biden died of brain cancer in 2015.
AFP
