Biden diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer

PanARMENIAN.Net - Former U.S. President Joe Biden, aged 82, has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has metastasized to his bones, CNN reported citing a statement from his personal office.

The diagnosis followed an evaluation prompted by increasing urinary symptoms, which led to the discovery of a prostate nodule. A biopsy revealed a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5), indicating a high-grade cancer with bone metastasis. Despite the severity, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, allowing for effective management. Biden and his family are currently reviewing treatment options with his physicians.

The news comes after a spokesperson for Biden mentioned that the former president was recently evaluated for a "small nodule" discovered on his prostate. Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, a urologist and robotic surgeon with Orlando Health and an assistant professor at the University of Central Florida’s College of Medicine, who is not involved in Biden’s treatment, stated, "Prostate cancer is very common. As we get older, most men are going to have little cancer cells in them." Dr. Benjamin Davies, a professor of urologic oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, also not involved in Biden’s case, explained that a Gleason score of 9 "means it’s the most aggressive form of prostate cancer."

Biden is currently at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, as per a source familiar with the matter.

Concerns about Biden's age and health were prominent during the 2024 presidential race, especially following his debate performance against Donald Trump in June, which led to increased scrutiny. In February 2024, Biden underwent a physical at Walter Reed National Military Center, overseen by his physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor, who reported "no new concerns" and deemed him "fit for duty."

A new book by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson details signs of decline in Biden that aides reportedly ignored or explained away, even before the debate that led to his withdrawal from the 2024 election three weeks later. The authors note that Biden's aides privately discussed the possibility of needing a wheelchair for his second term and that he failed to recognize actor George Clooney at a June 2024 fundraiser.

Since leaving the White House, Biden has maintained a relatively low profile but has begun to reemerge publicly. Earlier this month, he appeared with his wife, Jill Biden, on ABC’s “The View,” where he refuted suggestions of cognitive decline during his final year in office.

“They are wrong,” Joe Biden said. “There is nothing to sustain that.”

The former first lady added, “The people who wrote those books weren’t in the White House with us, and they didn’t see how hard Joe worked every single day. He’d get up, he’d put in a full day and then at night, I’d be in bed reading my book, and he was still on the phone, reading his briefings, working with staff.”

Experts say that although the cancer is serious, there are hopeful aspects. Prostate cancer outcomes depend not only on Gleason scores but also on PSA levels, imaging, and biopsies. Treatment is tailored to the individual and may include hormone therapy, chemotherapy, or radiation.

Even with high-risk cancer, “patients can live a pretty normal life and have a good quality of life, as long as the cancer is treated,” said Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt. However, Dr. Benjamin Davies cautioned that the cancer spreading to the bones is “very serious and not curable,” though newer therapies have significantly extended life expectancy.

Brahmbhatt noted that it may take “a few weeks” to determine Biden’s treatment path and emphasized caution due to potential side effects on memory, mood, and overall well-being.

Cancer has long held personal significance for Biden. His son Beau, a veteran and former attorney general of Delaware, died from brain cancer in 2015 at age 46. In 2016, President Barack Obama named Biden to lead the White House’s cancer task force, and Biden launched the “Cancer Moonshot”initiative in 2022, aiming to halve cancer deaths in 25 years.