NAIROBI, Kenya – At 82, former U.S. President Joe Biden is now facing one of the most personal battles of his public life: an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has metastasized to his bones.
The announcement came Sunday through a statement from his office, revealing a diagnosis that is both serious and sobering.
Diagnosis: High-Grade and Hormone-Sensitive
The diagnosis followed a visit to his doctor last week after Biden reported urinary symptoms. By Friday, testing had confirmed a Gleason score of 9 out of 10, marking the cancer as high-grade and particularly aggressive.
According to Cancer Research UK, such a score indicates a likelihood of rapid spread, which in Biden’s case, has already reached the bones.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, there is a glimmer of hope. His cancer is hormone-sensitive, meaning it could respond well to hormonal therapy—a treatment that often slows progression and improves quality of life for patients in similar circumstances.
Dr. William Dahut, Chief Scientific Officer at the American Cancer Society, told the BBC that while bone metastasis typically rules out a cure, patients often respond well to early treatment. “People can live many years with this diagnosis,” he said, noting that Biden is likely to receive hormonal treatment to suppress symptoms and inhibit further spread.
Health, Advocacy, and the Fight Ahead
While Biden has kept a low profile since leaving the White House, he’s remained committed to causes close to his heart—none more so than cancer awareness and research. His personal connection is deep: in 2015, he lost his son Beau Biden to brain cancer.
With prostate cancer ranking as the second most common cancer among men—according to the CDC—Biden’s diagnosis adds to a growing conversation about men’s health, aging, and proactive medical care.
Joe Biden’s life has never been short on challenges—from personal tragedies to political battles—and now, this new health crisis adds yet another chapter to his storied career.
Yet, if the outpouring bipartisan support he has received is any indication, he won’t be facing this alone.
As a man who’s long championed the fight against cancer, it’s now his own resilience that will be tested. And if history is any guide, Joe Biden isn’t likely to back down without a fight.
