Biden undergoing radiation therapy for prostate cancer

Former US President Joe Biden has begun radiation therapy as part of ongoing treatment for prostate cancer, his spokesperson confirmed on Friday.

According to his office, the 82-year-old is also receiving hormone therapy, though no additional details about the treatment plan were provided.

US-based NBC News, citing a source close to the family, reported that the radiation therapy is expected to continue for about five weeks, marking a new stage in the former president’s medical care.

Biden was first diagnosed earlier this year with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had spread to his bones.

In May, his office revealed that the cancer was classified as “high-grade,” with a Gleason score of 9, indicating that the disease was likely to spread rapidly. Despite the severity, doctors said the cancer remains hormone-sensitive, allowing for effective management.

The diagnosis came after Biden reported urinary difficulties, prompting medical examinations that uncovered a small nodule on his prostate.

Cancer Research UK explains that a Gleason score of nine falls within Grade Group 5 — the highest level of aggressiveness in prostate cancer classifications.

Biden’s health has been a matter of public interest, especially during his time in office. He stepped down in January as the oldest serving US president, later choosing not to seek re-election in 2024.

His former vice president, Kamala Harris, ran on the Democratic ticket but lost to current President Donald Trump.

Cancer awareness and research have long been central to Biden’s public life. In 2022, he and First Lady Jill Biden relaunched the “Cancer Moonshot” initiative, aiming to accelerate research and prevent more than four million cancer deaths by 2047.

His advocacy for cancer research has also been deeply personal; his eldest son, Beau Biden, died of brain cancer in 2015.

In recent months, Biden has kept a low profile, making only limited public appearances. In May, he gave his first post-White House interview to the BBC, describing his decision to exit the presidential race as “difficult.”

The American Cancer Society ranks prostate cancer as the second most common cancer among men, after skin cancer, with the CDC noting that 13 in every 100 men will develop the disease.