Former U.S. President Joe Biden, 82, has experienced a health setback as his personal office in a statement on Sunday announced he has been diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer that has affected his bones.
“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 statement said, per CNN.
“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management.” The statement also said the Biden family is “reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”
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Days before Sunday’s announcement, a spokesperson for Biden revealed the former president had undergone an evaluation for a “small nodule” that was found in his prostate.
Per the Cleveland Clinic, a Gleason score is a “grading system for prostate cancer.” “If you have prostate cancer, your Gleason score is based on what pathologists know about your situation after viewing tissue samples under a microscope,” it adds.
“It’s one of the ways healthcare providers classify prostate cancer as they develop treatment plans or set prognoses (what you can expect after treatment).”
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, also told CNN that a Gleason score of 9 “means it’s the most aggressive form of prostate cancer.”
Running up to the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Biden’s health came under scrutiny, and current president Donald Trump on multiple occasions even questioned if he was hale and hearty.
Biden later withdrew from the presidential race and endorsed former VP Kamala Harris for president. The news at the time followed weeks of mounting pressure for the president to step down, due to concerns and skepticism about his health and ability to govern the country for another four years, Face2Face Africa reported.
CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson in a new book also claimed that Biden’s aides had a behind-the-scenes conversation regarding putting the 82-year-old in a wheelchair if he was re-elected. The pair also claimed that during a fundraiser in June 2024, Biden was unable to recognize Hollywood star George Clooney.
But Biden and his wife Jill denied his cognitive abilities had deteriorated during an appearance on ABC’s The View this month. “They are wrong,” Biden said. “There is nothing to sustain that.”
“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,” Jill Biden added. “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.”
Meanwhile, Biden’s predecessor Barack Obama took to X to offer words of support to the 82-year-old and his family. “Michelle and I are thinking of the entire Biden family,” Obama, 63, wrote.
“Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace. We pray for a fast and full recovery.”
Former Vice President Kamala Harris also said she and her husband were “saddened to learn of President Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis.”
“We are keeping him, Dr. Biden, and their entire family in our hearts and prayers during this time. Joe is a fighter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership. We are hopeful for a full and speedy recovery.”
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