Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and his team recently shared this news. At 82, Biden noticed some urinary issues that led him to see doctors, who found a prostate nodule. On Friday, it was confirmed that the cancer had spread to his bones.
Despite being a more aggressive type of cancer, the diagnosis also revealed that the cancer cells are hormone-sensitive. This means they can be managed with treatments that target the hormones that fuel the growth of these cells. Biden and his family are currently discussing treatment options with medical professionals.
This isn’t the first health scare for Biden. In February 2023, he had a skin lesion, discovered to be basal cell carcinoma, removed from his chest. Also, in November 2021, he had a benign polyp taken out during a colonoscopy, which could have been pre-cancerous.
Biden has made cancer research a key focus of his presidency. He launched a “cancer moonshot” initiative, which aims to cut the cancer death rate in half over the next 25 years. This goal is deeply personal for him; it stems from the loss of his son, Beau, to cancer.
Prostate cancer is graded using the Gleason score, which ranges from 1 to 10 based on how abnormal the cancer cells appear. Biden’s Gleason score is 9, indicating a very aggressive form of the disease. When prostate cancer metastasizes, it often spreads to bones, making it more difficult to treat. However, hormone-sensitive cancers can sometimes be more manageable with the right therapies.
It’s essential to understand how common prostate cancer is. According to recent statistics from the American Cancer Society, about 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. It’s the second most common cancer in men, emphasizing the need for awareness and research.
Biden’s diagnosis is not only a personal battle but reflects a broader struggle in our society. The ongoing conversation about cancer funding and research is crucial, especially as many people are affected by this disease.
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