Former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of prostate cancer that has unfortunately spread to his bones. His office has released a statement indicating that he is currently reviewing treatment options.
- Advertisement -
On Friday, the 82-year-old Democrat received the diagnosis following a series of increasing urinary symptoms, which led to the discovery of a prostate nodule. As stated in his office’s announcement, “While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management. The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”
It’s important to note that cancer cells are common in the prostates of men in Mr. Biden’s age group; however, they typically grow at a slow pace. In Biden’s case, his cancer has been determined to have a “Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5).” According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer that presents as “very abnormal” is assigned the highest rating, Grade 5.
The Gleason Score often reflects the sum of the grades from the two primary areas in the prostate affected by cancer, but can also be assessed using various methods. This medical context adds another layer to the ongoing questions regarding Mr. Biden’s health and age, as he left office in January as the oldest serving US president in history.
Throughout his presidency, he has faced numerous inquiries regarding whether he is too old or lacking the mental and physical endurance required for such a demanding role. His forthright response to these concerns was simply: “Watch me.”
However, in July of the previous year, he was compelled to withdraw his reelection bid following a particularly challenging debate against Republican Donald Trump, which brought to light fears about his cognitive abilities and overall decline. Ultimately, Vice President Kamala Harris lost to President Trump in that election.
Mr. Biden has expressed belief that he could have won the election, yet questions persist regarding the responses of his advisors and key Democrats to apparent signs of his decline. These discussions have intensified with the upcoming release of “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again,” authored by CNN journalist Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson of Axios.
Last week, new recordings of Mr. Biden displaying hesitancy and struggle to recall essential events and dates have reignited debates about his mental faculties while in office. His life has been marked by significant personal tragedy; in 1972, his wife and baby daughter were lost in a car accident, mere days after his election as a US senator at just 29 years of age.
Furthermore, Mr. Biden underwent two surgeries in 1988 for brain aneurysms, and in 2023, he had a basal cell carcinoma removed from his chest—an experience not new to him as he has previously had non-melanoma skin cancers excised. Most poignantly, he lost his son Beau Biden to brain cancer in 2015.
In a complex tapestry of public service and personal hardship, Mr. Biden’s current health journey adds another chapter to his story, prompting both concern and support from the public as he navigates these challenges.
“To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.” – Friedrich Nietzsche.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
