Former US President Joe Biden diagnosed with aggressive metastatic prostate cancer

Former U.S. President Joe Biden, 82, has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has metastasised to his bones, according to an official statement released by his office on Sunday.

The diagnosis was made following complaints of urinary symptoms, which prompted medical evaluation and led to the discovery of a prostate nodule. Physicians have confirmed that while the disease is aggressive, it is hormone-sensitive, meaning that treatment options remain viable and potentially effective.

“This represents a more aggressive form of the disease, but it appears to be hormone-sensitive, allowing for effective disease management. The President and his family are currently reviewing treatment options with his medical team,” the statement noted.

Biden’s cancer has been assigned a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5), indicating a highly aggressive form of prostate cancer. The American Cancer Society classifies Grade 5 as the highest and most severe rating, reflecting cells that appear "very abnormal" under microscopic examination. The Gleason scoring system, which ranges from 6 to 10, is used to predict the aggressiveness and prognosis of prostate cancer.

The former President’s personal history adds a deeply emotional dimension to the diagnosis; his son, Beau Biden, passed away from brain cancer in 2015, a tragedy that profoundly shaped Biden’s public and private life.

Prostate cancer remains the most frequently diagnosed cancer among men in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, one in eight men will be diagnosed with the disease during their lifetime. Although it is often treatable when detected early, it continues to be the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men in the country.

The Biden family is said to be considering a range of treatment options, including hormone therapy and potential clinical trials, though no final decisions have been announced.