Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has metastasized to his bones, according to a statement released Sunday by his personal office. The 82-year-old former commander-in-chief is currently reviewing treatment options with his physicians as he remains at home in Wilmington, Delaware.
"Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms," the statement said. "On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized 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."
A Gleason score of 9 indicates one of the most severe forms of prostate cancer. "It's the most aggressive form of prostate cancer," said Dr. Benjamin Davies, professor of urologic oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, in a statement. While he is not treating Biden, Davies noted that bone metastasis means the disease is "very serious and not curable." Still, he added, "There is some good news here in the newer hormonal and chemotherapy therapies... which have shown impressive results and extended the longevity of patients significantly."
Biden's diagnosis follows months of speculation surrounding his health. Concerns escalated after his faltering debate performance in June 2024 against then-Republican nominee Donald Trump. Biden subsequently withdrew from the 2024 race three weeks later, paving the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the Democratic ticket.
At a routine check-up in February 2024, Biden was deemed "fit for duty" by White House physician Dr. Kevin O'Connor. No concerns were raised at the time. However, reports from journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson later claimed that Biden's aides had begun discussing whether he would need a wheelchair in a second term and that he failed to recognize George Clooney at a fundraiser that June.
In a joint appearance on ABC's The View earlier this month, Biden and former First Lady Jill Biden pushed back on assertions of cognitive decline. "They are wrong," Biden said. Jill Biden added, "The people who wrote those books weren't in the White House with us... he was still on the phone, reading his briefings, working with staff."
The announcement of Biden's cancer sparked a bipartisan outpouring of support. "Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden's recent medical diagnosis," former President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social. "We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery."
Vice President Harris echoed the sentiment. "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," she posted on X.
Former President Barack Obama added, "Michelle and I are thinking of the entire Biden family... Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe." Hillary Clinton also expressed support, writing, "I'm thinking of the Bidens as they take on cancer, a disease they've done so much to try to spare other families from."
Biden has long been closely associated with cancer initiatives. In 2016, then-President Obama tasked him with leading the White House's "Cancer Moonshot" after Biden's son, Beau Biden, died from brain cancer at age 46. Biden reestablished the initiative in 2022, pledging to cut the U.S. cancer death rate by at least 50% over 25 years.
According to the National Institutes of Health, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among U.S. men, with an estimated 313,780 new cases expected in 2025. Approximately 35,770 men are projected to die from the disease this year. While most forms of prostate cancer progress slowly, high-grade metastatic cases like Biden's present a greater challenge.
