Joe Biden was last screened for prostate cancer in 2014 before diagnosis
WASHINGTON ― Joe Biden's last known blood test to screen for prostate cancer was in 2014, seven years before he became president, a spokesperson for the former president confirmed to USA TODAY.
Biden, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer on Friday, May 16, took an annual physical in each of his four years as president. But in accordance with medical guidelines for seniors, none of the check ups included a PSA test that measures the prostate-specific antigen to screen for prostate cancer.
The influential U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that men 55 to 69 years old should consider periodic PSA testing in consultation with their doctor about the potential benefits and harms. But because prostate cancer is typically so slow-growing, the task force does not recommend routine screening for men 70 or older.
Potential risks at that age are considered to outweigh the advantages of the screenings, including false positives, detecting cancers that aren't deadly, unnecessary biopsies or treatments, and patient anxiety.
Biden's most recent PSA test in 2014 took place when was vice president and 72 years old.
Biden, who is now 82, was diagnosed on May 16 with prostate cancer that had spread to the bone after a nodule was discovered on his prostate following urinary symptoms, a spokesperson said.
More: Biden has an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Should it have been caught earlier?
Biden has a Gleason score of 9 and a grade group 5, which is on the higher end of the scale, meaning the cancer is more likely to grow and spread quickly. Biden's cancer is considered stage 4, the most advanced stage of cancer that is characterized by spreading to other parts of the body.
Given Biden's age, medical experts say Biden didn't require regular screening for prostate cancer to receive top medical care.
"He could be receiving the best medical care that we have to offer as a nation and not be screened for prostate cancer," said Dr. Michael Morris, a Memorial Sloan Kettering oncologist who specializes in treating men with prostate cancer. "Excellent care means not under-testing. It also means not over-testing."
More: 'Need to be honest': Vance questions Biden's health as president after cancer diagnosis
Yet prostate cancer is typically detected at an earlier stage.
Dr. Herbert Lepor, a urologist at NYU Langone Health, told Reuters that given the available screening options, 'it is a bit unusual in the modern era to detect cancers at this late stage.'
Biden's most recent annual physical as president ‒ which did not include prostate cancer screening ‒ took place in February 2024. The president's physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, described Biden as a "healthy, active, robust 81-year-old male who remains fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency." The report cited Biden's sleep apnea treatment and stiffened gait from arthritis.
Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden was last screened for prostate cancer in 2014 before diagnosis
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