Biden’s team says he was never diagnosed with prostate cancer in the past amid cover-up claims
Joe Biden has hit back after his cancer revelation fuelled theories the diagnosis may have been “covered up” while he was in the White House.
Former US President Joe Biden had never been diagnosed with prostate cancer before last week, a spokesman has confirmed, as President Donald Trump and his allies push theories his diagnosis was covered up from the public.
Mr Biden, 82, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer on Friday after he underwent testing for urinary symptoms, his office announced on Sunday, US time.
A day later, President Donald Trump fuelled theories over the timing of the news, saying he was “surprised” the public was not told about Mr Biden’s cancer earlier.
In a statement on Tuesday, US time, a spokesman for Mr Biden said the former President underwent his last known prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test – a blood test used primarily to screen for prostate cancer – 11 years ago in 2014.
“Prior to Friday, President Biden had never been diagnosed with prostate cancer,” the statement read.
Mr Biden’s office did not say whether he had separately been given prostate exams.
Annual PSA screening after the age of 70 is not universally recommended.
The US Preventive Services Task Force advises against it, reasoning that the risk of false positives and the harms from biopsies and treatment outweigh the benefits.
Mr Biden would have been aged between 71 and 72 at the age of the 2014 test.
Medical experts interviewed by AFP said the late identification of an advanced cancer would not be unheard of, even for a former president receiving top-of-the-line medical care.
‘The public wasn’t notified’
Following Mr Biden’s cancer news, Mr Trump, who spent much of the 2024 election campaign criticising his political opponent’s cognitive fitness, said he was “saddened” by the diagnosis.
He later stoked speculation over the timing of the announcement when he told reporters at the White House on Monday: “I’m surprised that the public wasn’t notified a long time ago”.
“It takes a long time to get to that situation, to get to a stage nine,” he added, seemingly referring to the fact Mr Biden’s cancer was characterised by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5).
Suggesting tests when Mr Biden was President should have picked up signs of the disease, Mr Trump added: “If you take a look it’s the same doctor that said Joe was cognitively fine.” “There are things going on that the public wasn’t informed of.”
‘Unbelievable’
Mr Trump’s allies have also raised questions about when Mr Biden and his doctors knew about the cancer.
The President’s former White House physician Ronny Jackson said on Monday it was “unbelievable” Mr Biden’s medical team missed the cancer.
“Care at the White House should be second to none,” he wrote on X.
“The truth is, his physician was more concerned about assisting with the political cover-up than providing world-class medical care.”
Far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer also claimed without proof that “Biden has been terminally ill for a long time.”
In a post on X, Mr Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, questioned if Mr Biden’s cancer diagnosis was part of a “cover-up”.
“What I want to know is how did Dr. Jill Biden miss stage five metastatic cancer or is this yet another cover-up???” Mr Trump Jr wrote, incorrectly labelling Mr Biden’s cancer diagnosis “stage five”.
Dr Biden is not a medical doctor, but rather has a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree.
In his post, Mr Trump Jr had shared a post by US physician-scientist Dr Steven Quay, who claimed it was likely Mr Biden was carrying a diagnosis of prostate cancer during his time in office.
“Prostate cancer is the easiest cancer to diagnose when it first starts and to watch it progress to bone metastases. The PSA blood test shows the rate of cancer cell growth. For even with the most aggressive form, it is a 5-7 year journey without treatment before it becomes metastatic,” Dr Quay wrote on X.
“Meaning, it would be malpractice for this patient to show up and be first diagnosed with metastatic disease in May 2025.”
“It is highly likely he was carrying a diagnosis of prostate cancer throughout his White House tenure and the American people were uninformed.”
Healthline notes aggressive cancers are those that can form, grow or spread rapidly.
“Love and support”
Mr Biden on Monday expressed gratitude for an outpouring of “love and support” following his cancer diagnosis.
“Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places,” Biden said on social media, including a photo of him and former first lady Jill Biden. “Thank you for lifting us up with love and support.”
Mr Biden and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians, his office said.
– With AFP
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