Biden diagnosed with 'aggressive' prostate cancer
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Former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with aggressive, metastatic prostate cancer. His family is consulting doctors on treatment options.
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Former US President Joe Biden gestures during a speech at the Advocates, Counselors, and Representatives for the Disabled conference in Chicago, Tuesday, April 15, 2025 (AP)
Former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has metastasized to the bone, according to a statement released by his office on Sunday. The diagnosis was confirmed on Friday following a period of urinary symptoms that prompted medical evaluation.
The statement noted that, while the cancer is advanced, it is hormone-sensitive, making it more manageable under current treatment protocols.
“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management,” the statement read.
Biden, 82, completed his presidential term on January 20, 2025, when Donald Trump was sworn in for a second time following the 2024 election.
The former president and his family are currently consulting with medical professionals to determine the best course of treatment. No further details about potential treatment plans or timelines were provided.
Biden struggles through health issues
Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, a book authored by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’s Alex Thompson, revealed that since 2022, Biden has increasingly struggled with memory, speech clarity, and mental focus. Aides reportedly had to record short speeches with multiple cameras to disguise the extent of his cognitive issues.
It also documents repeated attempts by Democratic figures to urge Biden to reconsider. Former US President Barack Obama reportedly told him, “Just make sure you can win the race,” during a private 2023 meeting at the White House.
High-profile Democratic donor Ari Emanuel is said to have confronted Biden ally Ron Klain, yelling at him, “Joe Biden cannot run for re-election! He needs to drop out! He can’t win! What’s the plan B?” Klain reportedly had no answer.
Then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also pressed Biden to withdraw during a meeting at his Rehoboth Beach residence after the June debate. Schumer warned that a Trump victory would destroy Biden’s legacy.
Too late for Harris
Biden eventually stepped aside on July 21 and endorsed Kamala Harris. However, according to the authors, the damage had already been done. Harris’s rushed campaign was undermined by the delay, leaving her little time to recover or mount a viable challenge.
Despite subsequent efforts to restore his image, through media appearances and a new public relations team, Original Sin contends that Biden’s late withdrawal enabled the very outcome he sought to prevent: the return of Donald Trump to the White House.
