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Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer that has metastasized to his bones, his office confirmed Sunday. The 82-year-old is currently reviewing treatment options with his medical team.
Doctors discovered a prostate nodule and urinary symptoms during an examination last week. After further testing, Biden was diagnosed Friday with prostate cancer. His Gleason score—a measure of the cancer’s aggressiveness—was reported as 9 out of 10, placing it in the most aggressive category of prostate tumors.
“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management,” Biden’s office said in a statement.
When prostate cancer spreads beyond the prostate, it most often moves into the bones, making it much harder to treat. However, hormone-sensitive cancers respond to therapies that deprive tumors of the hormones they rely on to grow.
“It’s very treatable, but not curable,” said Dr. Matthew Smith of Massachusetts General Brigham Cancer Center. “Most men in this situation would be treated with drugs, not surgery or radiation.”
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men, and survival rates have improved significantly with modern treatments. According to experts, patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer can often live for four to five years with appropriate therapy.
Messages of support for Biden poured in from political figures, including former President Donald Trump, who posted on social media:
“We wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”
Vice President Kamala Harris, now the 2024 Democratic nominee, wrote:
“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.”
Biden’s health had been a central issue during his presidency and reelection campaign. After a widely criticized debate performance in June, Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris, who later lost to Trump in the 2024 election.
This is not the first time Biden has faced a cancer diagnosis. In February 2023, he had a basal cell carcinoma removed from his chest. In November 2021, doctors removed a benign but pre-cancerous colon polyp. He also lost his eldest son, Beau Biden, to brain cancer in 2015 — a loss that deeply influenced his political and policy priorities.
As president, Biden launched a revitalized Cancer Moonshot initiative aimed at cutting cancer deaths in half within 25 years, building on work he began during his vice presidency.
“This is an American moment to prove… we can do really big things,” he said in 2022 when announcing the initiative.
The former president’s medical team is expected to provide further updates on his condition and treatment plan in the coming days.
