Former US President Joe Biden diagnosed with ‘aggressive’ prostate cancer

Former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer.

The 82-year-old Democrat was diagnosed last Friday after going to a doctor for urinary symptoms, his personal office announced Sunday evening.

The cancer also appears to have spread to his bones.

The former president and his family are reviewing treatment options.

The statement from Biden’s personal office read: ‘Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms.

‘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 Gleason score is a system used to grade prostate cancer. A score of 9 means the cells look ‘very abnormal’ and that the cancer is ‘likely to grow quickly’.

Biden left office in January at the age of 82 as the oldest president in history.

He discussed his health in his most recent public appearance on the TV talk show ‘The View’ on May 8.

Sat next to his wife Jill, the former president took the blame for Trump’s election win in November last year but vehemently rejected reports of his cognitive decline.

Biden had been forced to drop out of the 2024 election due to concerns about his age.

His performance in a TV debate against Donald Trump prompted renewed speculation about his health and forced him to exit the race in favour of Kamala Harris.

President Donald Trump released a heartfelt statement in support of his predecessor after the news.

He said on his Truth Social: ‘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.’

Politicians have begun sending well-wishes to the former president following the announcement.

Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor-Greene, a staunch Trump supporter and fierce Biden critic, expressed her sorrow at Biden’s diagnosis.

She said on X: ‘I’m sorry to see this news. Cancer is truly awful. My Dad passed away in 2021 with cancer. Prays for Joe Biden and his family’

Gavin Newsom, the Democrat governor of California, said on X: ‘Our hearts are with President Biden and his entire family right now.

‘A man of dignity, strength, and compassion like his deserves to live a long and beautiful life. Sending strength, healing and prayers his way.’

Prostate cancer, which develops when cells in the prostate start to grow uncontrollably, is the most common cancer for men, according to Prostate Cancer UK.

More than 50,000 men are diagnosed in the UK with prostate cancer every year, and more than 12,000 die from it each year.

One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.

Incidents of prostate cancer increase as men age. This is largely due to cell DNA damage accumulating over time.

Treating cancer was an important tenet of Biden’s administration.

In 2022, he made a ‘cancer moonshot’ a priority for his presidency, with the goal of halving the cancer death rate over the next 25 years.

This initiative continued his work addressing cancer as vice president, with his older son, Beau, dying from brain cancer in 2015.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.