Joe Biden Undergoing Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer
Former US President Joe Biden, 82, is currently receiving radiation therapy as part of his ongoing treatment for prostate cancer, his spokesperson has confirmed.
According to reports, the former president is also undergoing hormone therapy, although no further details have been released. The radiation course is expected to last five weeks, marking a significant new phase in his cancer management.
In May, Biden’s office revealed that he had been diagnosed with a more aggressive form of prostate cancer, which had metastasized to his bones. The diagnosis followed medical examinations prompted by urinary symptoms, which led doctors to discover a small nodule on his prostate.
At the time, Biden’s office explained that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5)—the highest level of severity—and confirmed that the disease had spread beyond the prostate. However, the cancer remains hormone-sensitive, allowing doctors to manage it effectively with treatment.
Medical experts note that a Gleason score of nine indicates a high-grade cancer, meaning that the cells are likely to spread rapidly. Despite the seriousness of the diagnosis, hormone-sensitive prostate cancers can often be controlled for extended periods through combined therapy.
Biden, who left office in January 2025 as the oldest serving US president in history, has faced long-standing questions about his health. His condition and age were among the factors that led him to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, paving the way for his then–vice president, Kamala Harris, to run as the Democratic candidate. Harris ultimately lost the election to President Donald Trump.
Biden has long been a passionate advocate for cancer research and awareness. In 2022, he and First Lady Jill Biden relaunched the Cancer Moonshot initiative, a federal program aiming to prevent over four million cancer deaths by 2047. His commitment to the cause is deeply personal—his eldest son, Beau Biden, died of brain cancer in 2015.
Since leaving public office, Biden has kept a low profile, though he granted a rare interview to the BBC in May, describing his decision to step back from active politics as “difficult but necessary.”
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men after skin cancer. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that roughly 13 in every 100 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, with age being the most significant risk factor.
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Joe Biden Undergoing Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer