Former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has metastasized to his bones, according to a statement released by his office on Sunday.
Biden, 82, left office in January as the oldest president in American history. Throughout his term, concerns about his age and health persisted, eventually prompting him to withdraw from his re-election bid amid mounting pressure from within the Democratic party.
The diagnosis followed reports of urinary symptoms, prompting doctors to discover a small nodule on his prostate. The cancer has been classified with a Gleason score of 9, one of the most severe ratings, and is considered Stage 4, indicating it has spread beyond the prostate.
Prostate cancer develops in the tissues of the prostate—a small gland in men responsible for producing semen—according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
It is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in the U.S. and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths.
The NIH estimates that approximately 313,780 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed this year, accounting for more than 15% of all new cancer diagnoses. Additionally, around 35,770 men are expected to die from the disease, making up 5.8% of all cancer deaths nationwide.
President Trump, who has frequently criticized Biden, especially regarding his age, health, and mental acuity, and held him responsible for many of the nation’s failures, was among those who issued a message of support on Sunday evening:
“Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis. We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who served under Biden and replaced him on the presidential ticket, said she and her husband were “saddened” to hear of the former president’s diagnosis:
“Joe is a fighter – and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership,” she tweeted. “We are hopeful for a full and speedy recovery.”
In a January interview with USA Today, shortly before leaving the White House, Biden was asked whether he would have had the stamina to serve another four years. He replied, “Who the hell knows? So far, so good. But who knows what I’m going to be when I’m 86 years old?”
