Enter your email to get Benzinga's ultimate morning update: The PreMarket Activity Newsletter
Former U.S. President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has metastasized to his bones, as reported by Reuters on Sunday.
What Happened: The diagnosis was made on Friday after Biden, 82, experienced urinary symptoms. He and his family are currently considering treatment options with medical professionals.
The cancer is described as hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management, his office stated. Prostate cancers that have spread are classified as Stage 4, the most advanced stage. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that in 2021, 70% of prostate cancer cases were detected before spreading beyond the prostate.
Biden's health has been under scrutiny during his presidency from 2021 to 2025. He ended his reelection campaign last July following a debate performance against Donald Trump that concerned Democrats. Trump expressed sympathy for Biden and his family on Truth Social.
Biden's cancer scored a nine on the Gleason score, indicating a very high risk. Dr. Herbert Lepor from NYU Langone mentioned that many men can live five to 10 years and beyond with metastatic prostate cancer. Dr. Chris George from Northwestern Health Network stated that while the cancer is no longer curable once spread to the bones, treatments are available to control it.
President Donald Trump said on Truth Social Sunday that he and Melania were "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."
See Also: Voice of America Purge? Trump-Appointed Chief Fires 600; Reporters With J-1 Visa Face Deportation
Why It Matters Last year, Biden announced a substantial $240 million investment to combat cancer, enhancing the administration's "Cancer Moonshot" initiative. This funding, distributed through the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), supports projects aimed at cancer prevention, detection, and treatment.
Additionally, Biden's administration has been actively involved in healthcare cost reforms. In August, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services revealed the first ten drugs subject to price negotiations under Biden's Inflation Reduction Act. This move targets reducing the costs of cancer and diabetes drugs, among others, which accounted for a significant portion of prescription drug costs.
Photo Courtesy: OogImages On Shutterstock.com
Check This Out:
Lawmakers Made Huge Investments This Year. Get Tips On What They Bought And Sold Ahead Of The 2024 Election With Our Easy-to-Use Tool
This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Shivdeep Dhaliwal
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs