Former President Joe Biden has revealed he has been diagnosed with ‘aggressive’ prostate cancer. He shared this news through a statement on social media.
On May 18, Biden’s personal office released the following statement: “Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms.
“On Friday he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone.”
The Gleason score is used to evaluate prostate cancer, assessing how the cancerous cells differ from normal cells on a scale from one to 10. A score of nine indicates a highly ‘aggressive’ form of cancer.
The statement further noted, “While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management.
“The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”
On Twitter, the 82-year-old shared a photo featuring himself, his wife Jill, and their cat.
He captioned it: “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.”
Former President Donald Trump responded to the news on Truth Social.
He wrote: “Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis. We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”
This is not Biden’s first encounter with cancer. He previously had several non-melanoma skin cancers removed surgically before his presidency, and in February 2023, a cancerous lesion was excised from his chest.
In November 2021, a polyp, which was benign but potentially pre-cancerous, was removed from his colon.
The American Cancer Society states that about one in eight men will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. It is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in men, following lung cancer.
Although the disease is serious, it results in death for around one in 44 men diagnosed, with most surviving.
If you’re dealing with similar concerns and need to speak to someone confidentially, you can reach the American Cancer Society by calling 1-800-227-2345 or through their live chat feature, which is available 24/7 throughout the year.