WASHINGTON — Former US President Joe Biden is undergoing radiation therapy as part of treatment for prostate cancer, his spokesperson confirmed on Friday, marking a new phase in the 82-year-old’s ongoing battle with the disease.
The spokesperson said Biden was also receiving hormone therapy but did not provide additional details on his condition. According to NBC News, the radiation treatment is expected to span five weeks.
Biden’s office first disclosed in May that doctors had diagnosed him with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had spread to his bones. The diagnosis followed medical tests prompted by urinary symptoms, which led to the discovery of a small nodule on his prostate.
At the time, his office said the former president was found to have a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) — indicating a high-grade cancer capable of spreading rapidly — but noted that the cancer remained hormone-sensitive, allowing for “effective management.”
A Gleason score of 9, according to Cancer Research UK, is among the most severe classifications for prostate cancer and typically suggests a more aggressive disease course.
Biden, who left office in January as the oldest serving US president in history, has faced longstanding scrutiny over his health and age.
These concerns contributed to his decision to withdraw from his 2024 re-election campaign, paving the way for his former vice president, Kamala Harris, to become the Democratic nominee. Harris ultimately lost to current President Donald Trump in the November election.
Despite his personal health challenges, Biden has long been a prominent advocate for cancer research.
In 2022, he and First Lady Jill Biden relaunched the “Cancer Moonshot” initiative, a federal effort aimed at preventing more than four million cancer deaths by 2047 through improved research and early detection.
The issue is deeply personal for Biden, who lost his eldest son, Beau Biden, to brain cancer in 2015 — a tragedy that shaped much of his presidency and advocacy work.
Since leaving the White House, Biden has largely stepped back from public life. In May, he gave a rare interview to the BBC, describing his decision to exit the presidential race as “difficult,” while saying he remained “focused on family and health.”
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men, after skin cancer.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 13 out of every 100 men will be diagnosed with the disease during their lifetime, with age being the most significant risk factor.
