Former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, according to an announcement from his office on Sunday. The 82-year-old was alerted to the issue after experiencing urinary symptoms and was subsequently diagnosed on Friday. The cancer is classified with a Gleason score of 9, indicating a more aggressive type of the disease with bone metastasis.
Biden and his family are currently exploring treatment avenues, with his office noting that the illness is hormone-sensitive, suggesting manageable options may be available. The diagnosis arrives nearly a year after he made the difficult decision to step back from the 2024 presidential race, driven by health and age-related concerns. As the oldest individual to have served as president in US history, Biden has faced significant scrutiny regarding his capabilities, particularly following a lackluster performance in a previous debate against Republican candidate and current President Donald Trump, which led to his vice president Kamala Harris replacing him as the Democratic nominee.
According to Cancer Research UK, a Gleason score of 9 places Biden's cancer in the "high-grade" category, raising fears of rapid cell proliferation. As developments continue to unfold, the story remains in progress, with further details expected. For real-time updates, users can access notifications through the BBC News App or by following @BBCBreaking on X.
Biden and his family are currently exploring treatment avenues, with his office noting that the illness is hormone-sensitive, suggesting manageable options may be available. The diagnosis arrives nearly a year after he made the difficult decision to step back from the 2024 presidential race, driven by health and age-related concerns. As the oldest individual to have served as president in US history, Biden has faced significant scrutiny regarding his capabilities, particularly following a lackluster performance in a previous debate against Republican candidate and current President Donald Trump, which led to his vice president Kamala Harris replacing him as the Democratic nominee.
According to Cancer Research UK, a Gleason score of 9 places Biden's cancer in the "high-grade" category, raising fears of rapid cell proliferation. As developments continue to unfold, the story remains in progress, with further details expected. For real-time updates, users can access notifications through the BBC News App or by following @BBCBreaking on X.
