Olusegun Ariyo
Former U.S. President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones, his office announced in a statement released Sunday.
The statement revealed that Biden was evaluated last week after reporting increasing urinary symptoms.
Subsequent tests confirmed the presence of a prostate nodule, and on Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, described as Gleason score 9 (Grade Group 5) — an indicator of a highly aggressive form of the disease. Doctors also confirmed 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 said.
Biden and his family are currently reviewing treatment options with his medical team, the office added.
The diagnosis comes nearly ten months after Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race amid growing scrutiny over his age and health.
His decision followed a heavily criticised debate performance against Donald Trump in June 2024, during which he struggled to maintain coherence and appeared physically weak, prompting widespread calls from senior Democrats and media outlets for him to step aside.
Biden eventually bowed out of the race on July 21, 2024, endorsing then-Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee.
Despite the endorsement, Harris lost the election to Donald Trump, who was sworn in for a second term on January 20, 2025.
Biden, now 82, completed his term before stepping away from public life. He has since made a few public appearances but has remained a symbolic figure within the Democratic Party.
