Joe Biden diagnosed with ‘aggressive form’ of prostate cancer

Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, just five months after leaving office.

According to his office, Biden, 82, went to a doctor last week after urinary symptoms. Doctors found a prostate nodule and he was diagnosed with prostate cancer Friday. The cells have spread to the bone, according to his office.

What they’re saying:

“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management,” his office said. “The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”

Trump, politicians respond to Biden’s cancer diagnosis

“Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis,” President Donald Trump posted on social media. “We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”

“Michelle and I are thinking of the entire Biden family,” former President Barack Obama tweeted. “Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace. We pray for a fast and full recovery.”

“Doug and I are saddened to learn of President Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis,” former Vice President Kamala Harris posted on social media. “We are keeping him, Dr. Biden, and their entire family in our hearts and prayers during this time. 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.”

“I’m sorry to see this news,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene also tweeted.

“I am saddened to hear of President Biden’s cancer diagnosis and am wishing him and his family well as he begins treatment,” Sen. Susan Collins posted.

What to know about prostate cancer

Dig deeper:

Prostate cancers are given a score called a Gleason score that measures, on a scale of 1 to 10, how the cancerous cells look compared with normal cells. Biden’s score of 9 suggests his cancer is among the most aggressive.

FILE – U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the assassination attempt on Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at the White House on July 14, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

When prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it often spreads to the bones. Metastasized cancer, which is what Biden has, is much harder to treat than localized cancer because it can be hard for drugs to reach all the tumors and completely root out the disease.

RELATED: Biden’s team considered wheelchair amid health concerns: New book

However, when prostate cancers need hormones to grow, as in Biden’s case, they can be susceptible to treatment that deprives the tumors of hormones.

According to the Mayo Clinic, prostate cancer symptoms can include:

• Blood in the urine, which may make it discolored.
• Needing to urinate more often.
• Trouble urinating.
• Waking up to urinate more often at night.

Biden’s health concerns

The backstory:

The health of Biden, 82, was a dominant concern among voters during his time as president. After a calamitous debate performance in June while seeking reelection, Biden abandoned his bid for a second term. Then-Vice President Kamala Harris became the nominee and lost to Republican Donald Trump, who returned to the White House after a four-year hiatus.

But in recent days, Biden rejected concerns about his age despite reporting in the new book “Original Sin” by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson that aides had shielded the public from the extent of his decline while serving as president.

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In February 2023, Biden had a skin lesion removed from his chest that was a basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer. And in November 2021, he had a polyp removed from his colon that was a benign, but potentially pre-cancerous lesion.

His older son, Beau, died of brain cancer in 2015. The Biden administration had a goal of halving the U.S. cancer death rate over the next 25 years.