Former U.S. President Joe Biden is now undergoing radiation therapy and hormone treatment for prostate cancer, his spokesperson announced on Saturday.
The treatment marks a significant step in managing the aggressive form of the disease diagnosed in May.
Biden's office first revealed the diagnosis after he reported urinary symptoms that led to the discovery of a small nodule on his prostate.
The cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5), had metastasized to the bone.
This high-grade classification indicates rapid-spreading potential, though the illness is hormone-sensitive, allowing for effective management.
The radiation therapy is expected to last five weeks and began a few weeks ago.
Biden is receiving care in Philadelphia, where sources close to him report he is doing well and responding positively.
At 82, turning 83 next month, Biden has largely stepped back from public life since leaving office in January.
His single term as the oldest serving president in U.S. history was shadowed by health questions that influenced his decision to withdraw from the 2024 re-election campaign.
Vice President Kamala Harris succeeded him as the Democratic nominee but lost to Republican Donald Trump, who now holds the presidency.
In September, Biden underwent Mohs surgery to remove cancerous cells from his skin, a procedure distinct from his prostate treatment.
Two years prior, while in office, he had a basal cell carcinoma lesion excised from his chest.
Prostate cancer ranks as the second most common cancer among men, surpassed only by skin cancer.
The American Cancer Society notes its prevalence, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that 13 out of every 100 men will develop it in their lifetime.
Age stands as the primary risk factor.
Options for management include radiation, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery.
Biden's case benefits from the hormone-sensitive nature of the tumor, which responds to targeted therapies.
The former president has long championed cancer research efforts.
In 2022, he and first lady Jill Biden revived the Cancer Moonshot initiative, aiming to prevent over four million deaths by 2047 through accelerated research.
This personal commitment deepened after the 2015 loss of his eldest son, Beau, to brain cancer.
In a May interview with the BBC — his first since departing the White House — Biden described his race withdrawal as difficult but necessary.
His optimism about the current prognosis echoes sentiments shared publicly in spring, where he expressed confidence in overcoming the illness.