Former President Joe Biden was diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer, according to a statement from his personal office Sunday, and it has spread to his bones.
“Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms. On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone,” the statement said.
It continued, “While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management.”
Biden, 82, and his family “are reviewing treatment options with his physicians,” the statement said.
The news comes days after a spokesperson for Biden said the former president was recently evaluated for a “small nodule” discovered on his prostate.
“Prostate cancer is very common,” said Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, a urologist and robotic surgeon with Orlando Health and an assistant professor at the University of Central Florida’s College of Medicine, who is not involved in Biden’s treatment. “As we get older, most men are going to have little cancer cells in them.”
Prostate cancers can be assigned a grade, known as a Gleason score, based on what the cells look like under a microscope. A Gleason score of 9 “means it’s the most aggressive form of prostate cancer,” Dr. Benjamin Davies, a professor of urologic oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center who is also not involved in Biden’s case, said in an email.
Biden is at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, this weekend according to a source familiar. CNN has inquired about where the former president is being treated.
Biden faced concerns over health during 2024 race
Concerns about age and health dogged Biden, the oldest president in US history, throughout his time in office and came into sharper focus following his halting debate performance against Donald Trump last June.
In February 2024, Biden underwent a physical at Walter Reed National Military Center overseen by his physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor, who at the time said there were “no new concerns” with the president’s health and he was “fit for duty.”
A new book written by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson describes how the president had been showing signs of decline that aides ignored or explained away, even before Biden’s disastrous debate that led to his decision to exit the 2024 election three weeks later.
Tapper and Thompson write that Biden’s aides privately discussed whether they would have to put him in a wheelchair for his second term and that Biden didn’t recognize movie star George Clooney at a June 2024 fundraiser.
Biden has maintained a relatively low profile since leaving the White House but has slowly started to reemerge on the public stage. He appeared alongside his wife, Jill Biden, earlier this month on ABC’s “The View,” where he pushed back on suggestions he experienced cognitive decline in his final year in office.
“They are wrong,” Joe Biden said. “There is nothing to sustain that.”
The former first lady added, “The people who wrote those books weren’t in the White House with us, and they didn’t see how hard Joe worked every single day. He’d get up, he’d put in a full day and then at night, I’d be in bed reading my book, and he was still on the phone, reading his briefings, working with staff.”
Trump has continued to criticize Biden, even after the then-president dropped out of the 2024 race, and to claim Biden suffered from cognitive decline. During Trump’s trip to the Middle East last week, he largely ignored the long-held presidential norms of avoiding criticizing domestic political opponents while traveling abroad, personally attacking his predecessor multiple times. But Trump put his feelings aside Sunday as he expressed well-wishes for the former president.
“Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis. We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery,” he posted on Truth Social.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who took over the Democrats’ campaign after Biden dropped out of the race, also wished the former president a speedy recovery and added that “Joe is a fighter.”
“Doug and I are saddened to learn of President Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis. We are keeping him, Dr. Biden, and their entire family in our hearts and prayers during this time,” Harris wrote on X. “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. We are hopeful for a full and speedy recovery.”
Cancer is ‘very serious,’ but there ‘is some good news,’ experts say
Besides the Gleason score, factors such as blood prostate-specific antigen levels, imaging tests and biopsy findings are important in determining how the cancer might behave and what treatment options would be best.
Even patients with high-risk prostate cancer “can live a pretty normal life and have a good quality of life, as long as the cancer is treated,” Brahmbhatt said. That treatment is personalized to each patient and might come in several forms, such as hormone therapy, chemotherapy or radiation.
The fact that Biden’s cancer has spread to the bone “is very serious and not curable,” Davies said. However, “There is some good news here in the newer hormonal and chemotherapy therapies [that have come] into this space in the past few years which have shown impressive results and extended the longevity of patients significantly.”
It could take “a few weeks” to see which direction Biden’s treatment goes, Brahmbhatt said. “Some of the treatments can affect memory, mood, quality of life, so you have to be very careful about what you end up doing, because you don’t want to be overly aggressive.”
Biden’s role in the fight to end cancer
Cancer has long been a personal issue for Biden, whose son Beau, an Iraq War veteran and former Delaware attorney general, died of brain cancer in 2015 at age 46.
In a presidential memorandum in 2016, then-President Barack Obama tapped Biden, his vice president, to lead the White House task force aimed at curing cancer. At the time, Biden pledged that though he was “not naïve about the challenges ahead,” he had “never been more optimistic that we can do big things.”
In 2022, then-President Biden reestablished the program, dubbed the “Cancer Moonshot” initiative, committing the nation to working toward reducing the death rate from cancer by at least 50% over the next 25 years.
“We’re mobilizing the whole country effort to cut American cancer deaths in half by 20, 25 years and boost support for patients and their families. I’m confident in our capacity to do that. I know we can, but it’s not just personal — it’s about what’s possible,” Biden said last August while touting $150 million in new research awards.
Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton both highlighted Biden’s effort toward ending cancer in their well-wishes.
“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. Wishing you a speedy, full recovery,” Clinton posted on X.
“Michelle and I are thinking of the entire Biden family,” Obama posted on X. “Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace. We pray for a fast and full recovery.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
‘Another cover-up?’: Sick conspiracy about Biden’s cancer diagnosis emerges
Donald Trump Jr has questioned if news of Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis was part of a “cover-up”.
Donald Trump Jr has questioned if Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis was part of a “cover-up”, as conspiracy theories emerge just hours after news broke of the former US President’s health.
In a statement released on Sunday (US time), Mr Biden’s office announced the 82-year-old was diagnosed with prostate cancer which has metastasised to the bone, after experiencing urinary symptoms.
“On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterised by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone,” the statement read.
“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management.”
Taking to social media hours after re-sharing a post wishing Mr Biden a speedy recovery, the eldest son of US President Donald Trump speculated how the cancer had been missed until last week.
“What I want to know is how did Dr. Jill Biden miss stage five metastatic cancer or is this yet another cover-up???” Mr Trump Jr wrote on X, incorrectly labelling Mr Biden’s cancer diagnosis “stage five”.
According to the statement, Mr Biden’s cancer was found to have “a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5).” Prostate cancer that looks “very abnormal” is assigned the highest rating, Grade 5, according to the American Cancer Society. This is different from a cancer’s stage, which refers to the extent of which it has spread through the body.
Dr Biden is not a medical doctor, but rather has a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree.
In his post, Mr Trump Jr had shared a post by US physician-scientist Dr Steven Quay, who claimed it was likely Mr Biden was carrying a diagnosis of prostate cancer during his time in office.
“Prostate cancer is the easiest cancer to diagnose when it first starts and to watch it progress to bone metastases. The PSA blood test shows the rate of cancer cell growth. For even with the most aggressive form, it is a 5-7 year journey without treatment before it becomes metastatic,” Dr Quay wrote on X.
“Meaning, it would be malpractice for this patient to show up and be first diagnosed with metastatic disease in May 2025.”
“It is highly likely he was carrying a diagnosis of prostate cancer throughout his White House tenure and the American people were uninformed.”
According to Healthline, aggressive cancers are those that can form, grow or spread rapidly.
Other MAGA figures online also questioned the timing of the announcement..
President Trump’s former White House physician Ronny Jackson said it was “unbelievable” that Biden’s medical team missed the cancer.
“Care at the White House should be second to none,” he said.
“The truth is, his physician was more concerned about assisting with the political cover-up than providing world-class medical care.”
Far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer claimed without proof that “Biden has been terminally ill for a long time.”
However British media personality Piers Morgan came out in defence of the former US President, vehemently shutting down the “vile crap flying around”.
“There’s already a lot of this vile crap flying around – mocking, celebrating, or playing partisan politics with Joe Biden’s health news. The man has served his country for 50yrs and is fighting for his life. Show some bloody respect,” he wrote on X.
Mr Biden’s office said the former US President and his family “are reviewing treatment options with his physicians”.
A spokesperson for Mr Biden earlier announced on Tuesday a “small nodule” had been found in his prostate following a regular medical exam.
The discovery “necessitated further evaluation,” the spokesperson said at the time.
Donald Trump responds to Biden’s cancer news
Mr Trump said he was “saddened” to hear his predecessor has been diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of prostate cancer.
Taking to Truth Social, the President, who has repeatedly criticised Mr Biden’s age and cognitive ability, wished his former political opponent a “fast and successful recovery”.
“Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis,” he wrote.
“We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who took over the reins from Mr Biden in the 2024 presidential campaign, also took to social media to wish her former boss a “speeding recovery”, calling the 82-year-old a “fighter”.
“Doug and I are saddened to learn of President Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis. We are keeping him, Dr. Biden, and their entire family in our hearts and prayers during this time,” Ms Harris wrote.
“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. We are hopeful for a full and speedy recovery.”
Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz said he and his wife were praying for Mr Biden, calling him “a truly decent man and a friend”.
“We’re wishing him all the best,” he wrote on X.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump Jr earlier re-shared a post about Mr Biden on X which read: “Politics aside, we wish his a speedy recovery.”
“Agreed 100%,” Trump Jr wrote.
Recording sparks debate
The news of Mr Biden’s cancer diagnosis comes after a recording of him speaking hesitantly and struggling to remember key events and dates, released last week, fuelled renewed debate over his mental capabilities while still in office.
The recording was taken from the then-President’s October 2023 interviews with special counsel Robert Hur – who was investigating his handling of classified documents – and was obtained by Axios ahead of the release of a new book that lays bare the extent of Mr Biden’s mental and physical decline during his administration.
In the recording, Mr Biden struggled to recall the year he left office as Vice President, the year his son Beau died of brain cancer in 2015 or why he had the classified documents in question.
Mr Biden’s son Beau died of brain cancer in 2015. Picture: Paul J. Richards/AFP
“The audio shows what the transcript lacks – the president’s dry-whisper voice and the long silences as he struggles to find the right words or dates,” the Axios report read.
“Those often were supplied by his attorneys, who acted as caretakers of his memory … Throughout his testimony, Biden sounded more like a nostalgic, grandfatherly storyteller than a potential defendant who could be accused of hoarding secret papers.”
The President and his family “are reviewing treatment options with his physicians”. Picture: Saul Loeb/AFP
Earlier this month, Mr Biden, who left office in January as the oldest serving US president in history, hit back at suggestions he experienced significant cognitive decline in his final year as President.
“They are wrong,” he told ABC’s The View. “There is nothing to sustain that.”
The Democrat maintains he could have won the 2024 presidential election, after he dropped out of the race due to questions over his age and abilities.
His vice president, Kamala Harris, eventually lost to Republican Donald Trump.
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