Biden Family Announces Joe Has Prostate Cancer

Former President Joe Biden’s diagnosis of an aggressive, metastatic prostate cancer—revealed to have a Gleason score of 9 and Grade Group 5—has sent shockwaves through both the medical and political communities. The advanced state of the disease, confirmed by the presence of bone metastasis and urinary symptoms, points to a grim reality: this is no early-stage cancer, and its five-year survival rate hovers between 30% and 40%.

Seems even more relevant today. How do you miss prostate cancer Doc? https://t.co/frfaRTk0Ki

— ErikDPrince (@realErikDPrince) May 19, 2025

As explained by Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel, Biden is battling “the most aggressive type” of prostate cancer. A Gleason score of 9 on the 10-point scale used to grade prostate tumors is nearly as high as it gets, indicating a rapid-growing malignancy with a high likelihood of spread—which, in Biden’s case, has already occurred. The cancer’s extension to the bones, a common site of prostate cancer metastasis, adds a layer of complexity and pain management to an already intensive treatment regimen.

What’s particularly striking is how the cancer was discovered. According to Siegel, it was not caught by routine PSA testing, the common screening method for prostate cancer, but rather by a physical prostate exam—a surprising revelation given the former president’s access to elite healthcare.

“I'm a little taken aback that it's this far advanced,” Siegel admitted.

This leads to uncomfortable questions: Was Biden being routinely screened? And if so, how did a cancer this advanced go unnoticed?

PSA testing, while imperfect, is a frontline screening tool for prostate cancer. When elevated, it usually triggers an MRI, followed by a potential biopsy. The Mayo Clinic notes that PSA levels can be elevated due to a variety of non-cancerous conditions, but consistent monitoring is critical, especially in men over 45. Biden, at 82 years old, falls into the highest-risk group, where prostate cancer is not only common but often aggressive when it does develop.

Siegel emphasized that over 80% of men over 80 have some prostate cancer cells in their bodies. But the concern here isn’t mere presence—it’s the aggression and spread.

Biden will likely face a combination of therapies, including:

• Hormone therapy using medications like Lupron (which suppresses testosterone production) and Casodex (which blocks testosterone binding).

• Radiation therapy, possibly targeted at the bone lesions.

• Surgical intervention, which may include prostate removal, depending on the broader treatment strategy.

These treatments, while potentially life-extending, are not curative once the cancer has metastasized. And the side effects—fatigue, listlessness, and bone pain—can be grueling, especially for someone of Biden’s age and physical condition.

“The goal is to get it before it leaves the prostate,” Siegel stressed. “When it’s left the prostate, it becomes much more difficult to cure.”