Jill Biden has shared that she was left ‘shocked’ by her husband Joe Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis.
Joe Biden was diagnosed with stage IV prostate cancer in May 2025. The news surprised Jill Biden in light of the intense attention that was previously paid to her husband’s health during his time in office.
Stage IV indicates the cancer is advanced, typically meaning it has developed over a longer period than cancers found at an earlier stage.
In her new memoir, the former First Lady wrote: “You put the president in bubble wrap, and he ends up with stage IV prostate cancer? It made no sense.”
She also described how the couple faced allegations that they had kept the illness from the public, adding: “We couldn’t dwell in the grief because we were put immediately on the defensive, accused of having hidden his illness.”
Biden has since begun an experimental course of treatment.
So, what symptoms can prostate cancer cause?
Prostate cancer can be difficult to recognise because many signs overlap with other, more common conditions.
Unlike symptoms that can more obviously point to certain cancers—such as a persistent new cough or a noticeable lump—potential indicators of prostate cancer can be easy to dismiss because they are relatively frequent in everyday health issues.
According to the Mayo Clinic, early symptoms may include blood in urine or semen.
Some people may also find they need to urinate more often, including during the night, or experience trouble starting to urinate.
While these changes can seem minor, it’s important to speak with a doctor if they appear or persist.
As prostate cancer advances, symptoms can shift and additional problems may develop.
At later stages, this can include back or bone pain, erectile dysfunction, fatigue, or weakness in the arms or legs.
Other possible signs include accidental urine leakage and unexplained weight loss.
Because the symptoms can be subtle or mistaken for other conditions, regular prostate cancer screening can be especially important for people who are at higher risk.
The Mayo Clinic lists risk factors such as being over 50, a family history of the disease, obesity, smoking, and exposure to certain chemicals including arsenic or Agent Orange.
Black people are also at higher risk of prostate cancer compared with people from other ethnic backgrounds.
For anyone in these higher-risk groups, routine screening can help ensure that easily missed symptoms are identified earlier.