Joe Biden diagnosed with ‘aggressive form’ of prostate cancer. May 2025

[Izzylizzy]

I ceased to be a "Dilbert" fan after I found out what kind of person Scott Adams is, and TBH the strip changed for the worse when Dilbert abandoned his characteristic necktie. He still does not deserve this, either.

I was a senior in pharmacy school in the fall of 1993, and had a scheduled lecture on prostate cancer the same day Frank Zappa died from it. He too had a type that was deemed to be inoperable upon diagnosis, although the treatments at the time were very primitive compared to what they have now. (Just imagine him in today's social and political environment!)

A history of prostate cancer treatment - PMC

The increased incidence of prostate cancer has led to remarkable changes in diagnosis and treatment over the past century. What were the first ways in which prostate cancer was treated, and how did these evolve into the variety of therapeutic ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[Elley Mae]

Former President Joe Biden last underwent a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test, one of the most common ways to screen for prostate cancer, in 2014 while he was serving as Barack Obama’s vice president, a spokesperson for his office announced Tuesday.

Biden last underwent common prostate cancer screening in 2014, rep reveals

“A blood test has a paper trail,” one aide told The Post.

nypost.com

 

[Izzylizzy]

Former President Joe Biden last underwent a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test, one of the most common ways to screen for prostate cancer, in 2014 while he was serving as Barack Obama’s vice president, a spokesperson for his office announced Tuesday.

Biden last underwent common prostate cancer screening in 2014, rep reveals

“A blood test has a paper trail,” one aide told The Post.

nypost.com

IMO:

Yet he had prostate surgery and medication in 2019 and testing/monitoring didn't become routine after that even though cancer was not detected?
I still think that he was probably getting steroid shots for spinal/joint pain for his arthritis and any other discomfort/pain he had was chalked-up to his spinal arthritis plus the steroid injections could have masked the pain from prostate/bone cancer.

I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere but Biden's SIL is a plastic surgeon so he did he have access to treatment, kinda like "off the presidential books"?

Vice Presidents aren't known to release their medical info like presidents are so no paper trail there

8 yrs Obama's VP from Jan. 2009 to Jan. 2017
4 yrs off...Jan.2017 to Jan.2021
4 yrs POTUS Jan.2021 to Jan.2025

 

[Simply Southern]

I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere but Biden's SIL is a plastic surgeon so he did he have access to treatment, kinda like "off the presidential books"?

I noticed he was extremely pale, pasty and low energy level for months. During the first debate it was very apparent, to me, the former president was gravely ill and much more than a common cold. I think the week prior. the entire family rallied at Camp David was more significant than studying for the debate. Although, not publicly disclosed (security), there is a mini medial facility on the property, supported by the US Navy MOO.

It's easier than most think, to receive ""off the books" treatment, especially if you have connections and the financial means. Over the years, I've played a part in securing equipment and medication for several individuals wishing to keep their medical condition private. Create a false identity, pay cash, a cooperative physician and labs, test, chemo, etc can easily be ordered.

It is my hope, he did receive early intervention and treatment. The Bidens are very strong, close knit, protective family, I just cannot imagine, he did not have treatment.

Moo...

 

[Elley Mae]

I noticed he was extremely pale, pasty and low energy level for months. During the first debate it was very apparent, to me, the former president was gravely ill and much more than a common cold. I think the week prior. the entire family rallied at Camp David was more significant than studying for the debate. Although, not publicly disclosed (security), there is a mini medial facility on the property, supported by the US Navy MOO.

It's easier than most think, to receive ""off the books" treatment, especially if you have connections and the financial means. Over the years, I've played a part in securing equipment and medication for several individuals wishing to keep their medical condition private. Create a false identity, pay cash, a cooperative physician and labs, test, chemo, etc can easily be ordered.

It is my hope, he did receive early intervention and treatment. The Bidens are very strong, close knit, protective family, I just cannot imagine, he did not have treatment.

Moo...

Agree, and now knowing about his health issues i wonder if some of the whopping number of vacation days could have been for treatment.

Joe Biden’s 577 vacation days over four-year term tops modern presidents

Joe Biden took more days off than any other president in a single four-year term in at least the last 50 years, new data shows.

nypost.com

 

[Lusitana]

I wouldn't be surprised if he has been dealing with cancer for a while, let's say the last 5 years and up until recently his body was reacting somewhat positively to treatment. Once he got to this stage, there's just no way of keeping it private, he will need some serious care and there's no need anymore, he isn't President anymore. I seriously hope he and his family are getting the help they need.

And, to be fair, it's not abnormal for people in this type of position to keep the diagnosis private for as long as possible. I'm sure King Charles only made his diagnosis public when he absolutely had to, same thing with Princess of Wales, her diagnosis was made public when people started questioning too much and it wasn't possible to keep it quiet anymore.

 

[Cedars]

I wouldn't be surprised if he has been dealing with cancer for a while, let's say the last 5 years and up until recently his body was reacting somewhat positively to treatment. Once he got to this stage, there's just no way of keeping it private, he will need some serious care and there's no need anymore, he isn't President anymore. I seriously hope he and his family are getting the help they need.

And, to be fair, it's not abnormal for people in this type of position to keep the diagnosis private for as long as possible. I'm sure King Charles only made his diagnosis public when he absolutely had to, same thing with Princess of Wales, her diagnosis was made public when people started questioning too much and it wasn't possible to keep it quiet anymore.

I disagree.

Cancer treatments don't go on for years and years. When doctors detect it, they take an immediate strike approach: surgury or radiation or other therapies to destroy it, and the patient must put their life on hold while being treated, because they need to be completely available for long days of treatment, and complete rest between treatments to recover and hopefully heal. You can't just show up for hours of radiation therapy and then go back to the office.

Charles and Kate cancelled all their engagements as soon as they received their separate diagnoses. The issue was, the media became hysterical not knowing why.

 

[acutename]

I disagree.

Cancer treatments don't go on for years and years. When doctors detect it, they take an immediate strike approach: surgury or radiation or other therapies to destroy it, and the patient must put their life on hold while being treated, because they need to be completely available for long days of treatment, and complete rest between treatments to recover and hopefully heal. You can't just show up for hours of radiation therapy and then go back to the office.

Charles and Kate cancelled all their engagements as soon as they received their separate diagnoses. The issue was, the media became hysterical not knowing why.

I thought that sometimes they treat prostate cancer with hormone therapy so no chemo...?

 

[Cedars]

I thought that sometimes they treat prostate cancer with hormone therapy so no chemo...?

Not just by itself, though. As part of a treatment plan:
-Along with radiation therapy
-Before radiation
-If the cancer has spread too far to be cured by surgery or radiation:

Hormone Therapy for Prostate Cancer

Learn about hormone therapy for prostate cancer, including androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), which lowers male hormones and keeps prostate cancer cells from growing.

www.cancer.org

Some prostate cancer is just not treated at all, it's very slow growing. And because of that, there are recommendations that if there aren't symptoms, don't even test for it, because the process of testing, false positives, uncertainty how to treat, can cause real harm to the patient...Particularly if you've got a demanding job...

A cancer diagnosis is a huge deal for anyone, it's not something anyone just shrugs off and carries on as though it's no biggie.

 

[airportwoman]

Cancer treatments don't go on for years and years.

Nowadays, some do. There are several therapies, designed for long-term use, for assorted types of (usually) adult-onset leukemia, and certain types of colon and prostate cancers can have lifelong treatments, even if the person dies from a completely unrelated reason.

I know a woman whose first husband had inoperable colon cancer, and oral chemotherapy (Xeloda) kept it in a holding pattern for EIGHT YEARS, during which he felt well enough to work for most of that time, until it mutated and spread throughout his body. At that point, it was something like 2 months from the first ominous symptoms, until his death.

 

[Lilibet]

Not just by itself, though. As part of a treatment plan:
-Along with radiation therapy
-Before radiation
-If the cancer has spread too far to be cured by surgery or radiation:

Hormone Therapy for Prostate Cancer

Learn about hormone therapy for prostate cancer, including androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), which lowers male hormones and keeps prostate cancer cells from growing.

www.cancer.org

Some prostate cancer is just not treated at all, it's very slow growing. And because of that, there are recommendations that if there aren't symptoms, don't even test for it, because the process of testing, false positives, uncertainty how to treat, can cause real harm to the patient...Particularly if you've got a demanding job...

A cancer diagnosis is a huge deal for anyone, it's not something anyone just shrugs off and carries on as though it's no biggie.

Thank you @Cedars and others for very accurate information about prostate cancer. My dear husband has been dealing with prostate cancer since 2007 when he was 63. Thankfully, he was able to do active surveillance (AKA watchful waiting) for most of those years. This involved PSA tests, annual MRIs and consultations with his specialist, a well-known prostate oncologist in L.A. (always get the best doctor you can).

When his PSA started slowly rising, his doctor asked him to come for a biopsy in 2022 (his second since his initial diagnosis). His Gleason score was 9, like Joe’s, which indicated that the lesion they had been watching since 2007 had become aggressive. Scary stuff. We don’t know how long it had been aggressive, any more than we know how long Joe’s has been. It can happen quickly.

Fortunately, the Pylarify PET scan showed that it had not metastasized. At the time, about 3 years ago, this pretty new scan had just begun to be covered by Medicare and we had to drive five hours to the nearest place offering it. Now, it’s available locally. I expect this scan is what showed the metastases to Joe’s bones.

He was treated with SBRT radiation (for 10 days) and took a hormone for about six months. So far, all is well.

After age 70, a PSA is not routinely done for the reasons you mention. That probably explains why Joe’s last PSA was in 2014. This link discusses how the decision is made whether or not to do PSAs after 70.

Should I continue to get regular PSA testing after age 70? - Harvard Health

Whether or not to continue PSA testing after age 70 depends on many factors, but especially a man's family history of prostate cancer and how comfortable he is about getting a biopsy or treatment i...

www.health.harvard.edu

Many men rush into surgery to have their prostate removed before the cancer metastasizes. My husband’s initial urologist used scare tactics to try to convince him to schedule surgery within two weeks with no further tests. We were able to consult with three prostate cancer experts and he had more tests that made him comfortable doing active surveillance, even with a Gleason 7 (later revised to a 6). The men he knows who had surgery (radical prostatectomy) really struggled with unpleasant side effects. Surgery may be less invasive now. I’m not sure. But he was glad he didn’t have it.

I wish Joe all the best. I don’t think there’s any reason to entertain ideas that he has known about it prior to the recent diagnosis and kept it hidden or that his doctors should have found it sooner. It can be a sneaky disease. It is what it is and I’m sorry he and his loved ones have to deal with this.

JMO

 

[Lilibet]

Nowadays, some do. There are several therapies, designed for long-term use, for assorted types of (usually) adult-onset leukemia, and certain types of colon and prostate cancers can have lifelong treatments, even if the person dies from a completely unrelated reason.

I know a woman whose first husband had inoperable colon cancer, and oral chemotherapy (Xeloda) kept it in a holding pattern for EIGHT YEARS, during which he felt well enough to work for most of that time, until it mutated and spread throughout his body. At that point, it was something like 2 months from the first ominous symptoms, until his death.

I follow a chat for men with aggressive prostate cancer that has metastasized. They continue treatment with various drugs, often changing them depending on symptoms.

 

[Lilibet]

Doctor who worked with Biden says he had cancer ‘while he was president’: ‘He did not develop it in the last 100 to 200 days’

Doctor who worked with Biden says he had cancer ‘while he was president’: ‘He did not develop it in the last 100 to 200 days’

A top oncologist who once worked for former President Joe Biden claimed Monday that his old boss must have had prostate cancer long before Sunday’s public announcement of his d…

nypost.com

“He’s had this for many years, maybe even a decade, growing there and spreading,” Emanuel told the Biden-supporting hosts early Monday. “He did not develop it in the last 100 to 200 days.”

Given the cancer’s Gleason score of 9 and the fact that it metastasized to the bone, many medical experts speculated that the former president had the prostate cancer for some time. Some doctors have said it is “inconceivable” Biden’s diagnosis managed to go undetected for so long.

Just to clarify, Dr Emanuel is a breast oncologist, not a prostate oncologist. He really has no business opining with such *certainty* about how long Joe may have had prostate cancer and he is showing his ignorance IMO. Yes, Joe could have had a stable lesion for years as my husband did that suddenly became aggressive. For it to metastasize to the bone, of course he’s had it longer than 100-200 days, but a year is not “inconceivable.”

JMO

 

[Lusitana]

I disagree.

Cancer treatments don't go on for years and years. When doctors detect it, they take an immediate strike approach: surgury or radiation or other therapies to destroy it, and the patient must put their life on hold while being treated, because they need to be completely available for long days of treatment, and complete rest between treatments to recover and hopefully heal. You can't just show up for hours of radiation therapy and then go back to the office.

Charles and Kate cancelled all their engagements as soon as they received their separate diagnoses. The issue was, the media became hysterical not knowing why.

Cancer treatments do go on for years and years. Radiation is treatment. My father was doing chemotherapy and then radiotherapy up until it became clear that the cancer was spreading and there was nothing else to do besides managing the symptoms and paliative care. Same thing with my childhood friend's father. We are not in the United States though, so I can only speak from my experience. Treatment was working for my dad until it wasn't, for a long time the doctor couldn't see anything until she could see it in the lungs. All cases are different.

 

[RichardKimble]

Thank you @Cedars and others for very accurate information about prostate cancer. My dear husband has been dealing with prostate cancer since 2007 when he was 63. Thankfully, he was able to do active surveillance (AKA watchful waiting) for most of those years. This involved PSA tests, annual MRIs and consultations with his specialist, a well-known prostate oncologist in L.A. (always get the best doctor you can).

When his PSA started slowly rising, his doctor asked him to come for a biopsy in 2022 (his second since his initial diagnosis). His Gleason score was 9, like Joe’s, which indicated that the lesion they had been watching since 2007 had become aggressive. Scary stuff. We don’t know how long it had been aggressive, any more than we know how long Joe’s has been. It can happen quickly.

Fortunately, the Pylarify PET scan showed that it had not metastasized. At the time, about 3 years ago, this pretty new scan had just begun to be covered by Medicare and we had to drive five hours to the nearest place offering it. Now, it’s available locally. I expect this scan is what showed the metastases to Joe’s bones.

He was treated with SBRT radiation (for 10 days) and took a hormone for about six months. So far, all is well.

After age 70, a PSA is not routinely done for the reasons you mention. That probably explains why Joe’s last PSA was in 2014. This link discusses how the decision is made whether or not to do PSAs after 70.

Should I continue to get regular PSA testing after age 70? - Harvard Health

Whether or not to continue PSA testing after age 70 depends on many factors, but especially a man's family history of prostate cancer and how comfortable he is about getting a biopsy or treatment i...

www.health.harvard.edu

Many men rush into surgery to have their prostate removed before the cancer metastasizes. My husband’s initial urologist used scare tactics to try to convince him to schedule surgery within two weeks with no further tests. We were able to consult with three prostate cancer experts and he had more tests that made him comfortable doing active surveillance, even with a Gleason 7 (later revised to a 6). The men he knows who had surgery (radical prostatectomy) really struggled with unpleasant side effects. Surgery may be less invasive now. I’m not sure. But he was glad he didn’t have it.

I wish Joe all the best. I don’t think there’s any reason to entertain ideas that he has known about it prior to the recent diagnosis and kept it hidden or that his doctors should have found it sooner. It can be a sneaky disease. It is what it is and I’m sorry he and his loved ones have to deal with this.

JMO

I won't comment on Biden's medical history it's between him ,his family and medical team,I had surgery and don't regret it, I listened to the options, brachytherapy, raditation, radical prostatectomy or watch and observe with regular tests,( 6 monthly) biopsy and mri, my Gleason was 6 but my psa was doubling every 6 monthly test, so out with it, no more treatment, all's well, 12 yrs later.Just to say it was done with a robot. I'm a brit so no affinity to a potus ,but best of luck Joe.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Former President Joe Biden makes first public appearance since cancer diagnosis

Former first lady Jill Biden and the former president's daughter Ashley posted photos of the family attending a high school graduation.

www.nbcnews.com

Former President Joe Biden on Friday attended his grandson's high school graduation, marking his first public appearance since he announced last weekend that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer...

.Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, with his personal office saying in a statement, “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.”

On Tuesday, his office released a second statement, adding that he had never been diagnosed with prostate cancer prior to last week. The statement also clarified that the former president had not been tested for prostate cancer in over a decade...

 

[Cedars]

Cancer treatments do go on for years and years. Radiation is treatment. My father was doing chemotherapy and then radiotherapy up until it became clear that the cancer was spreading and there was nothing else to do besides managing the symptoms and paliative care. Same thing with my childhood friend's father. We are not in the United States though, so I can only speak from my experience. Treatment was working for my dad until it wasn't, for a long time the doctor couldn't see anything until she could see it in the lungs. All cases are different.

Sorry to hear that. I was responding to speculation that Biden and members of the Royal family had been secretly treated for cancer for years before the public learned about it.

 

[Lilibet]

I won't comment on Biden's medical history it's between him ,his family and medical team,I had surgery and don't regret it, I listened to the options, brachytherapy, raditation, radical prostatectomy or watch and observe with regular tests,( 6 monthly) biopsy and mri, my Gleason was 6 but my psa was doubling every 6 monthly test, so out with it, no more treatment, all's well, 12 yrs later.Just to say it was done with a robot. I'm a brit so no affinity to a potus ,but best of luck Joe.

I can certainly see why you had surgery. A quickly doubling PSA would certainly rule out active surveillance. When my husband was diagnosed, men who could have done active surveillance were being scared into surgery. My husband’s doctor co-authored a book about this…”The Invasion of the Prostate Snatchers.”

 

[Lusitana]

Sorry to hear that. I was responding to speculation that Biden and members of the Royal family had been secretly treated for cancer for years before the public learned about it.

I don't see why it wouldn't have been possible.

 

[airportwoman]

SBRT is "stereotactic body radiation therapy."