Former United States President Joe Biden has commenced radiation therapy as part of his treatment regimen for an aggressive form of prostate cancer, his spokesperson has confirmed.
“As part of a treatment plan for prostate cancer, President Biden is currently undergoing radiation therapy and hormone treatment,” the spokesperson told CNN on Saturday.
The treatment, which began several weeks ago, comes months after Biden’s personal office first disclosed in May that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had metastasised to his bones.
Speaking to CNN two weeks after receiving the diagnosis, Biden expressed optimism about his prognosis. “The expectation is we’re going to be able to beat this,” he said. “It’s not in any organ, it’s in – my bones are strong, it hadn’t penetrated. So, I’m feeling good.”
The former president added that he had started a pill regimen as part of his treatment plan. NBC News was the first outlet to report on the radiation therapy.
Medical experts not directly involved in Biden’s care have weighed in on the seriousness of his condition. Dr Jamin Brahmbhatt, a urologist and robotic surgeon with Orlando Health and assistant professor at the University of Central Florida’s College of Medicine, told CNN in May: “Prostate cancer is very common. As we get older, most men are going to have a few cancer cells in them.”
However, Biden’s diagnosis carries particular concern. His office disclosed in May that his cancer has a Gleason score of 9, one of the most aggressive classifications.
Dr Benjamin Davies, a professor of urologic oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre, described it as “the most aggressive form of prostate cancer.” He noted that whilst Biden’s cancer spreading to the bones “is very serious and not curable,” recent advancements in hormonal and chemotherapy treatments have “shown impressive results and extended the longevity of patients significantly.”
Dr Brahmbhatt offered a measured perspective, noting that 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.” He explained that treatment plans are individualised and can include hormone therapy, chemotherapy, or radiation.
This is not Biden’s first encounter with cancer. Last month, he underwent Mohs surgery to remove skin cancer lesions. The specialised procedure, typically used for aggressive or recurring skin cancers, involves removing layers of skin and examining them under a microscope until no cancerous cells remain.
In 2023, whilst still serving as president, Biden had a lesion removed from his chest that tested positive for basal cell carcinoma. His White House physician at the time, Dr Kevin O’Connor, confirmed that “all cancerous tissue was successfully removed” and that Biden would continue regular dermatological monitoring.
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer and is generally slow-growing and highly treatable.
Biden, who will turn 83 next month, has previously experienced the devastating impact of cancer in his family. His son Beau died of brain cancer in 2015.
