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Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Former President Joe Biden diagnosed with 'aggressive' form of prostate cancer: The early warning signs and symptoms you shouldn't ignore
Former U.S. President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an "aggressive" form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones. The 82-year-old's office shared the news on Sunday, adding that Biden had been diagnosed after experiencing urinary symptoms that led to doctors discovering a nodule on his prostate. Last Friday, Biden was diagnosed with prostate cancer that had metastasized to his bones. 'While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management,' the statement said. "The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.' This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle. The statement noted that Biden's cancer was "characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5)." A Gleason score is a grading system for prostate cancer that ranges from a 6 (low-grade cancer) to 10 (high-grade cancer). According to the Cleveland Clinic, this metric helps determine how quickly and how likely the cancer is to spread (low-grade cancer grows slowly and is less likely to spread than high-grade cancer). On Monday, Biden shared a message to social media that included a photo of himself, his wife Dr. Jill Biden and their cat, Willow. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Joe Biden (@joebiden) "Cancer touches us all,' he wrote. '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.' Dr. Danny Vesprini, a radiation oncologist at Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, told Yahoo Canada in 2022 that while the prostate isn't large (about the size of a walnut), its nature and location "certainly causes lots of problems." By the year 2040, annual prostate cancer cases worldwide are expected to double, with annual deaths projected to rise by 85 per cent. Read on to learn more about the prostate, its common issues and how you might be able to prevent discomfort. The prostate is a small, rubbery gland that produces enzymes and proteins in the body. It's part of the reproductive system and it's located deep inside the groin, between the base of the penis and the rectum. "The main goal of the prostate is that it produces between 60 to 80 per cent of a man's ejaculate and, in particular, creates an enzyme called prostate-specific antigen, or PSA," Vesprini explained. "What that enzyme does is liquify the coagulum in the vagina to help with reproduction. So it allows sperm to swim more freely in the vagina." While it's an important organ for procreation, it's not one that's necessary for life, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. Prostate cancer is another serious issue related to the organ. It's a disease where malignant cells form in the tissues of the prostate. Some symptoms of prostate cancer can include: Problems urinating Slow or weak urinary stream Needing to urinate more often Blood in the urine or semen Difficulty getting an erection Pain in the hips, back or chest Weakness or numbness in the legs or feet Loss of bladder or bowel control See a healthcare professional if you're experiencing these symptoms, as it's best to catch cancer early. Biden's prostate cancer has spread to the bone, therefore making it stage 4 cancer. According to experts, it's unlikely that the advanced stage can be cured. In an interview with Yahoo Life, Dr. Christopher Wee of the Cleveland Clinic said treatment could be used to help slow cancer growth or prolong and improve his quality of life. However, it's "very difficult to get too much more specific than that, because there can be people in whom there's only one bone spot, and there can be people in whom there's spots all over the body,' Biden's office noted that his cancer appeared to be "hormone-sensitive." Wee told Yahoo Life that some prostate cancer treatments like androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), where androgens (a group of hormones including testosterone) are lowered in the body, can help slow down cancer growth. Wee also said that there's been evidence to suggest that ADT combined with medications to further reduce hormones can provide more benefit than ADT alone. "Ultimately, these [treatment] decisions are complex,' he said. 'No two cases are the same, and it really involves very careful consideration of a patient's cancer, the patient's health and, most importantly, the patient's values and preferences.' According to the Cancer Society of Canada, there is a 41 per cent chance that men with stage 4 prostate cancer will live at least five years (net survival). Vesprini said the most common problem most men experience is that the prostate continues growing. While it might be the size of a walnut or ping pong ball in younger men, it typically starts to grow when men reach their late 40s and early 50s, according to the Canadian Cancer Society. "It's one of the few parts of the body that still grows as we get old. And as men get older, they start to have more difficulties with urinating. That's why older men get up to pee at night because they aren't emptying their bladder sufficiently during the day," he noted, adding men can experience a slower flow of their urine and may "start to spray a bit." Although these symptoms aren't serious medical issues, Vespirini suggested they can impact a man's confidence and quality of life. "As we get older and the prostate gets bigger, the bladder may not empty fully and the flow starts to slow down, which is annoying but it's common and there's lots of remedies," Vesprini added. The Canadian Cancer Society also indicated the prostate is also close to the digestive and reproductive systems, meaning problems with the organ can impact those parts of the body, too. In addition to common urinary problems, serious conditions such as prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) can also affect the prostate. Prostatitis is the inflammation of the prostate that can cause symptoms like painful urination and general discomfort in the groin, pelvis or genitals. "It can be very uncomfortable and disruptive by causing pain or sexual dysfunction," Vesprini shared. On the other hand, BPH, or an overly enlarged prostate, usually affects men over age 40. As it grows, the prostate can block the flow of urine and cause bladder, urinary tract or kidney problems. "Signs of BPH are difficulty urinating, a weak stream, or having a frequent need to urinate," explained Vesprini. If you're hoping to alleviate symptoms of non-cancerous conditions like BPH, the most common thing to do is to change your daily habits. "Stop drinking in the evening or don't drink lots of fluid before bed, which lessens the amount of times you're urinating at night," Vesprini suggested. If that doesn't provide relief, there are medications that help the bladder empty more sufficiently, or medications that shrink the prostate over time. "For more serious cases, there are surgical procedures that can be done, but it has risks," Vesprini added. For prostatitis, the oncologist said anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen or Advil can sometimes help, or using antibiotics may settle things down. "Some men find that different foods or certain activities also trigger symptoms and thus they avoid those, but that's unique to each person and you'll have to go through a trial and error process to figure it out," he explained. "You can't really prevent prostate problems, and something like BPH is just a natural evolution," Vesprini said. "The only way to prevent it from happening is to have no testosterone, which is what triggers the prostate to grow over time." He added since urinary problems and BPH are normal parts of aging, it's abnormal for a man in his 70s or 80s to not have experienced any of these problems. In general, the doctor said in order to be your best self, you should work towards having a healthy heart, having a good diet and exercising frequently. "It's very important to keep on top of your overall health, and don't turn to quick fixes," Vesprini concluded. "Be aware of any changes in your body, and get screened if you suspect any issues."
Fox News
19-05-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Gleason score for prostate cancer: What to know about Biden's diagnosis
Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an "aggressive form" of prostate cancer. Biden's team shared a statement on Sunday that the former president was experiencing "increasing urinary symptoms" ahead of his diagnosis, which was characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (grade group 5) with "metastasis to the bone." "While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management. The president and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians," the statement said. Biden's ranking of 9 on the Gleason scale, a grading system for prostate cancer severity, has sparked concerns, as it correlates with high-grade cancer. Dr. Arpeet Shah, a urologist with Associated Urological Specialists in Illinois, explained in an interview with Fox News Digital how the grading system indicates the aggressiveness of the disease. "It's based on what the cancer cells look like under a microscope – specifically, how different they look from normal prostate cells," he said. (Shah was not involved in Biden's care.) Pathologists assign two numbers from 1 to 5, based on the most common and second-most common patterns present in the tissue. The lower the grade, the more normal the cancer cells look, according to Cleveland Clinic. Descriptions of the grades are listed below. Grade 1 – Cancer cells look like normal cells. Grades 2 to 4 – Cancer cells in the tissue look less like normal cells. Grade 5 – Cancer cells look very abnormal. For more Health articles, visit The largest areas with cancer are graded and then added together to determine a Gleason score, which typically ranges from 6 to 10. "The higher the score, the more aggressive the cancer is likely to be," Shah said. Below is a breakdown of Gleason score ranges. Gleason score of 6: Cancer is low-grade and slow-growing. Gleason score of 7: Cancer is intermediate and more likely to grow or spread over time. Gleason score of 8 to 10: Cancer is high-grade and may need more aggressive treatment. The system is "one of the key tools" experts use to "help guide treatment decisions and to have meaningful conversations with patients about their options," Shah commented. "It's important to highlight the importance of 'early' here," he said. "Had President Biden undergone regular prostate cancer screening with a PSA blood test and digital rectal exam, his diagnosis might have been detected sooner." In an appearance on "The Big Weekend Show" on Sunday, Fox News medical contributor and board-certified radiologist Dr. Nicole Saphier noted that much like breast cancer, prostate cancer comes in different forms and can be treated "very differently" per case. Saphier confirmed that Biden's metastasized cancer is stage 4, which "significantly" decreases the chance of survival. "No two cases are exactly the same," she said. "But the one good thing that they did mention about President Biden's case is that it's hormone-sensitive." "We have so many treatments these days that you can actually live for quite a long time with stage 4 cancers." This form can be treatable through surgery or medication that will stop the testosterone production that fuels cancer growth. "[Stage 4] is the worst-case scenario when you're talking about cancer, but we have so many treatments these days that you can actually live for quite a long time with stage 4 cancers," Saphier said. "In his case, because it is hormone-sensitive, there are treatment methods," she continued. "It's never going to cure him. He's never not going to have stage 4 cancer. But he could get to the point where he has no evidence of disease or certain no progression of disease. And at this point, that's what our goal is."
Fox News
19-05-2025
- Health
- Fox News
To Save A Child's Life: Dr. Loughlin's Story
What is it like to tell two parents that their child won't live to see their 12th birthday? It's a question nobody wants to know the answer to, and yet is a challenge pediatricians face every day. Recently, after one of his close family members got diagnosed with a brain tumor at just eight-years-old (one that is, thankfully, noncancerous), Ben was struck by the child's bravery–as well as the calm strength of the pediatricians, who shoulder immense responsibility and yet possess unwavering positivity. Today, Dr. Jerry Loughlin, a renowned expert in pediatric respiratory diseases, joins Ben to share how pediatricians develop these resilient qualities — especially when tasked with delivering devastating news or losing a patient. Follow Benjamin on X: @BenjaminHallFNC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Former US president Biden diagnosed with 'aggressive form' of cancer
Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his office said on Sunday. Mr Biden underwent medical examination last week following urinary symptoms, which led to the discovery of a prostate nodule. He received his prostate cancer diagnosis on Friday, and it was found that the cancer cells had spread to the bone, PA reports. "While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management," his office stated. "The president and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians." Prostate cancers are assigned a Gleason score, which measures on a scale of one to 10 how the cancerous cells compare to normal cells. READ MORE: I spent summer working in a Tenerife bar but be warned, the island has a dark underworld READ MORE: Tsunami warning issued in Greece as 5.9 magnitude earthquake sparks urgent alert Mr Biden's office revealed his score was nine, indicating his cancer is among the most aggressive. When prostate cancer metastasises to other parts of the body, it often spreads to the bones. Metastasised cancer is much more difficult to treat than localised cancer because it can be challenging for drugs to reach all the tumours and completely eradicate the disease. However, when prostate cancers require hormones to grow, as in Mr Biden's case, they can be susceptible to treatment that deprives the tumours of hormones. Stay informed on the latest health news by signing up to our newsletter here. The health of Biden, 82, was a dominant concern among voters during his presidency. After a disastrous debate performance in June while seeking re-election, Mr Biden abandoned his bid for a second term. Then-vice president Kamala Harris became the nominee and lost to Republican Donald Trump, who returned to the White House after a four-year hiatus. But, in recent days, Mr Biden dismissed concerns about his age despite reporting in the new book, Original Sin, by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, that aides had shielded the public from the extent of his decline while serving as president. In February 2023, Biden had a skin lesion removed from his chest that was a basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer. And, in November 2021, he had a polyp removed from his colon that was a benign, but potentially pre-cancerous, lesion. In 2022, President Biden announced a "cancer moonshot" initiative, aiming to decrease the cancer death rate by half over the next quarter century. This mission built upon his efforts as vice president to tackle the disease, which had previously claimed the life of his eldest son, Beau.
Sky News
18-05-2025
- Health
- Sky News
Former president Joe Biden diagnosed with 'aggressive' form of prostate cancer
Former US president Joe Biden has prostate cancer, his office has said. A statement by his office said Mr Biden, who left the White House in January, had an "aggressive form of cancer". "Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms. "On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterised by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone. "While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management. "The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians." According to Cancer Research UK, a Gleason score of 9 means the cancerous cells "look very abnormal," and the disease is "likely to grow quickly".
