Biden diagnosed with ‘aggressive’ prostate cancer

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have paid tribute to the former US president, who has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of the cancer which has spread to his bones.

Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer just months after he left office, his representatives have said.

Biden received the diagnosis of prostate cancer with metastasis to the bone after he was experiencing increasing urinary symptoms.

“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,” according to a statement from Biden’s personal office.

Donald Trump said he was “saddened,” writing on his Truth Social platform: “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.”

Biden’s vice president said her former boss “is a fighter.”

Kamala Harris said she was “saddened” to learn of the diagnosis, adding in a post 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 and leadership. We are hopeful for a full and speedy recovery.”

Biden’s form of prostate cancer is aggressive and late-stage, but prostate cancers generally are slower growing. The overall chance that a person diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer is alive after five years is around 37 per cent, according to the American Cancer Society.

“This is a significant prostate cancer that does need treatment. It does have the potential to impact your quality and quantity of life, in particular if you don’t have a lot of other medical problems,” said Dr. Lee Richstone, chair of urology at Northwell Health’s Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan and president of the Society of Academic Urologists.

Given Biden’s age and the fact that the cancer has already spread to his bone, he is unlikely to receive surgery, the specialists said.

The diagnosis arrives as Biden, who was 82 when he left office in January, has come under scrutiny for age-related mental and physical declines he suffered while he was president.

The former president had campaigned for a second term until he stepped aside for former Vice President Kamala Harris after a halting debate performance that made his struggles impossible to hide.

Democrats are currently facing a public reckoning with the extent of Biden’s diminished faculties while he served as president. Several news books delve into the topic, including one by CNN host Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson set to be available this week.

Biden’s doctor said in February 2024 that Biden was “fit for duty” amid questions about the then-president’s age and health. The physical examination, conducted at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, came in the aftermath of special counsel Robert Hur’s finding that Biden was an “elderly man with a poor memory.” Dr Kevin O’Connor, the president’s physician, wrote in a letter at the time that a comprehensive assessment by a team of doctors had revealed “no new concerns.” O’Connor said Biden had been using a positive airway pressure machine at night for sleep apnoea.

The doctor also noted that Biden’s gait had stiffened, likely because of age-related changes to his spine, but said it hadn’t worsened in the previous year.

Since exiting the White House, Biden has kept a relatively low profile, only delivering his first widely publicised speech in April, when he addressed a conference for disability advocates in Chicago. He used the opportunity to talk about the importance of Social Security, and, without mentioning President Trump by name, criticised what his successor has done to the public-benefits program.

“Fewer than 100 days, and this administration has done so much damage and so much destruction,” Biden said. “It’s kind of breathtaking.” Biden’s son Beau died in 2015 after battling brain cancer. Biden promoted a “cancer moonshot” initiative during his presidency, pushing for additional research funding to fight cancer.

Dow Jones