Former President Joe Biden has publicly addressed his cancer diagnosis for the first time, following the announcement that he has an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones.
“Cancer touches us all,” Biden wrote in a post on social media platform X on Monday morning. “Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support.”
It was announced on Sunday, May 18, that the 46th President was diagnosed with prostate cancer after doctors found a nodule on his prostate. Further tests confirmed that the cancer cells had metastasized to the bone.
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“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management,” his office said. “The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”
Biden’s cancer has a Gleason score of 9. Prostate cancer is assigned a Gleason score grade based on how “abnormal” the cancer looks, according to the American Cancer Society.
Higher grade levels indicate that the cancer may grow at a faster rate. Cancers with a Gleason score from 8 to 10 are considered high-grade. Biden’s office did not share what stage the former president’s stage of cancer is in.
Advanced prostate cancer cannot be completely cured, according to experts.
Dr. Matthew Smith of Massachusetts General Brigham Cancer Center told The Associated Press that patients can live up to four or five years with metastatic prostate cancer, however.
“Most men in this situation would be treated with drugs and would not be advised to have either surgery or radiation therapy,” he added.
Read More: What Does a Gleason Score of 9 Mean? Understanding Biden’s Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
Biden’s diagnosis has ignited an outpouring of support from friends, political allies, and others.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who took over as the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee after Biden stepped down, said she was “saddened” to hear about the diagnosis and called Biden a “fighter.”
“I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership. We are hopeful for a full and speedy recovery,” Harris said in a post on X.
President Donald Trump said he and First Lady Melania Trump were saddened to hear about the news, in a message on Truth Social. “We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery,” Trump said.
Read More: Political Leaders Offer Messages of Support to Former President Biden After Cancer Diagnosis
Biden’s health was a prominent point of discussion during the 2024 presidential campaign, as Trump and other Republicans questioned Biden’s ability to govern due to his age and status as the oldest U.S. president in history. A questionable performance during a June 2024 campaign debate further ignited concerns—even among those within Biden’s own party—and ultimately led Biden to withdraw from his pursuit of a second term.
CNN journalist Jake Tapper and Axios national political correspondent Alex Thompson reported in their recently released book “Original Sin” that Biden’s declining health was hidden from the press, White House staff, and other politicians. Biden has denied such claims.
The former president and his family have battled cancer in the past. Biden had a basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer, removed from his chest in 2023. His son Beau passed away from brain cancer in 2015.