Washington, D.C– Joe Biden, the former president of the United States, has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, his office confirmed on Sunday. The cancer has already spread to his bones.
Biden, 82, received the diagnosis on Friday after seeking medical attention for worsening urinary symptoms earlier in the week. Doctors later confirmed the cancer was high-grade, with a Gleason score of 9 out of 10 indicating a fast-growing disease.
Despite the severity, Biden’s team says the cancer is hormone-sensitive and can likely be controlled with treatment.
“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management,” read the statement from his office. It added that the former president and his family are considering treatment options.
A Personal Battle
This is not Biden’s first encounter with the disease. In 2015, his eldest son, Beau Biden, died of brain cancer an experience that drove the former president to champion cancer research during and after his time in office.
In 2016, then-President Barack Obama tasked Biden with leading the “Cancer Moonshot”, a major federal initiative to accelerate cancer breakthroughs. Biden relaunched the effort with his wife, Jill Biden, in 2022, vowing to prevent millions of cancer deaths by 2047.
The news of Biden’s diagnosis prompted a wave of support across political lines.
President Donald Trump, who defeated Biden in the 2024 election, said he and his wife Melania were “saddened” to hear the news. “We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family,” he wrote on Truth Social. “We wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”
Kamala Harris, who served as Biden’s vice-president and took his place as the Democratic nominee in the 2024 race, posted on X: “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.”
Former President Obama also voiced his support. “Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe,” he wrote. “We pray for a fast and full recovery.”
A Return to the Public Eye
Though largely absent from public view since leaving the White House in January, Biden has made a handful of appearances. Last month, he gave a keynote speech in Chicago at a disability advocacy event. He also sat for an interview with the BBC, describing his decision to step away from the 2024 election as “difficult but necessary.”
During a recent appearance on media Biden addressed speculation about his health, rejecting suggestions of cognitive decline. “There is nothing to sustain that,” he said.
Still, questions about the former president’s age and stamina had loomed long before Sunday’s announcement. Biden became the oldest person to hold the U.S. presidency when he took office in 2021. He later dropped out of the 2024 race amid mounting concerns about his fitness for a second term.
What This Diagnosis Means
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, after skin cancer. It is particularly prevalent in older men. The U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says roughly 13% of men will be diagnosed in their lifetime.
Dr William Dahut, Chief Scientific Officer of the American Cancer Society, told the BBC that based on the information released, Biden’s case appears to be advanced.
“If cancer has spread to the bones, we don’t consider it curable,” he said. “However, many patients respond well to early treatment, and people can live for years with this diagnosis.”
Hormone therapy is likely to be the first course of action, aimed at slowing the cancer’s growth and easing symptoms.
For Biden, the fight is deeply personal and far from over.
Whether from the Senate, the White House, or the sidelines, he has long framed cancer not just as a medical crisis, but as a national challenge. Now, that challenge has arrived at his own doorstep.
