Former U.S. President Joe Biden, aged 82, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer that has already spread to his bones, according to a statement released by his office on Sunday, May 18, 2025.
The former president had visited a doctor due to urinary symptoms. Upon examination, doctors found he had an aggressive form of prostate cancer, scoring 9 out of 10 on the Gleason scale – a sign that the disease can spread very quickly. Doctors noted that the cancer is hormone-sensitive, meaning it can respond well to treatment.
Biden and his family are currently exploring possible treatment options. Reports indicate that the treatment may focus on hormone therapy to slow down the cancer’s progression.
Biden received an outpouring of support from fellow politicians, including his predecessor Donald Trump, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and longtime colleague Barack Obama, all of whom wished him a speedy recovery.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men in the United States, following skin cancer. Experts say that once it reaches the bones, it becomes incurable, but patients can live many years with it depending on the treatment approach.
President Biden previously lost his son, Beau Biden, to brain cancer in 2015, which inspired him to advocate strongly for cancer research. He even led the “Cancer Moonshot” initiative in 2016, aimed at finding a long-term cure for cancer.
