Biden diagnosed with “aggressive form” of prostate cancer, his office says

Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones, his office said in a statement on Sunday.

“Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms,” his office said in a statement. “On Friday he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone. 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.”

Biden was evaluated last week after a small nodule was found in the prostate, which necessitated further evaluation, his office said at the time. 

Prostate cancer is common, second only to skin cancer as the most common cancer affecting males, according to the Cleveland Clinic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for every 100 males, 13 will develop prostate cancer at some point in their lives.

Though all men are at risk for prostate cancer, age is the most common risk factor, the CDC says. 

“The older a man is, the greater the chance of getting prostate cancer,” the CDC notes.

Biden is 82 and left office in January as the oldest president in history, although President Trump, who is 78, in January became the oldest person to take the oath of office. 

Sara Moniuszko

contributed to this report.