Former US president diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer

Former US president Joe Biden has been diagnosed with a relatively aggressive form of prostate cancer, his office said in a statement.

“Last week, Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms,” said a statement from Biden’s office.

“On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterised 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 statement went on to say. “The president and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”

Biden is 82 and was the oldest president in the US, when he left office earlier this year, making way for President Donald Trump to return to the White House for a second term, defeating Vice-President Kamala Harris.

The announcement was received with shock and sadness across party lines.

“Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis,” President Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery,” he added.

“Praying for Joe Biden and his family to defeat the cancer he’s recently been diagnosed with,” Ro Khanna, a Democratic lawmaker, wrote on X. “He and Jill have always been fighters, and I am confident they will meet this challenge with grit and grace,” he added.

The Sunday announcement came amidst renewed interest in Biden’s health while he was still in office. Questions are being raised about his mental fitness and acuity, with many Democrats expressing surprise and dismay.

Biden lost his son Beau Biden to cancer in 2015, and he has since led a moonshot initiative for cancer cure, first as vice-president in President Barack Obama’s White House and then as president since 2021.