Former President Biden Diagnosed With Aggressive Prostate Cancer Amid Ongoing Health Scrutiny

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Former President Joe Biden, 82, has been diagnosed with a highly aggressive form of prostate cancer, as confirmed by his personal office in May. The cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 and metastasis to the bone, places Biden in the highest risk category for the disease, which is the most common cancer among men in the United States. Biden sought medical attention after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms, leading to the discovery of a prostate nodule and subsequent diagnosis.

A Gleason score of 9 out of 10 indicates that the cancer is high-grade, aggressive, and likely to grow and spread rapidly. Biden’s cancer has metastasized to his bones, a development that typically means the disease is advanced and incurable, though his office noted the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management with current therapies. The American Cancer Society reports a five-year survival rate of about 37% for men with metastatic prostate cancer, compared to 99% for those diagnosed at earlier stages.

Despite the severity of his diagnosis, Biden expressed optimism about his health and treatment during a recent Memorial Day service in New Castle, Delaware. The news has drawn bipartisan support, with former President Donald Trump and former Vice President Kamala Harris both offering well-wishes for his recovery.

Biden’s health has been a subject of intense scrutiny since his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race in July, following a widely criticized debate performance. A new book by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, alleges that Biden struggled with filming campaign videos due to declining health, with footage often deemed unusable. The book claims senior aides concealed his condition, a scandal some have likened to Watergate.

Additionally, President Trump has ordered an investigation into Biden’s use of an autopen for executive actions, questioning whether aides used it to mask cognitive decline. The probe, which examines over 1,200 presidential documents and numerous pardons, has sparked debate about the legitimacy of Biden’s actions during his final years in office. Biden has denied these claims, asserting he made all decisions himself.

In his farewell address, Biden warned against unchecked power and highlighted his administration’s achievements, including economic recovery and racial equity initiatives. Meanwhile, a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing is exploring allegations of a White House cover-up of Biden’s health, though Democrats have dismissed it as a distraction.