Former President Joe Biden is entering a new phase of treatment for the prostate cancer he was diagnosed with in May.
Biden is now undergoing radiation therapy, a spokesperson for the former president told Fox News on Saturday. Previously, he had been receiving routine scans, the spokesperson added.
“As part of a treatment plan for prostate cancer, President Biden is currently undergoing radiation therapy and hormone treatment,” the spokesperson said.
Biden was diagnosed four months ago with an “aggressive form” of metastatic prostate cancer after health officials detected a prostate nodule following increasing urinary symptoms. His office said the disease, though aggressive, is hormone-sensitive, meaning it may be effectively managed.
Then-President Joe Biden speaks at a news conference on the final day of the NATO summit in Washington, D.C., on July 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
Biden, who turns 83 years old next month, also underwent surgery on Sept. 4 to remove cancerous skin cells through a procedure known as Mohs surgery, according to his spokesperson.
During his presidency, Biden had a cancerous skin lesion removed from his chest, the White House previously said. Former White House physician Kevin O’Connor noted in February 2023 that a biopsy of skin tissue taken during a health assessment revealed cancerous cells, all of which were successfully removed.
Former President Joe Biden shared an image of him and his wife, Jill, following an announcement that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. (X/JoeBiden)
Biden, who became the oldest U.S. president to serve in office, had placed a major focus on cancer treatment.
While in office, he and former first lady Jill Biden revamped the “Cancer Moonshot” initiative to accelerate progress in cancer research. The project aimed to reduce the cancer death rate by 50% over the next 25 years.
Then-President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden previously placed a strong focus on cancer initiatives through the “Cancer Moonshot” project. (AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
In 1988, Biden had two life-threatening brain aneurysms at 45 years old. Doctors said he had a 50% chance of surviving while serving as a U.S. senator for Delaware.
Biden’s surgeries were successful, and there have been no reports of an aneurysm since.
The news of Biden’s radiation treatment comes as President Donald Trump was reported to be in “excellent overall health,” according to a memo released by the White House on Friday.
Trump underwent a routine semiannual physical last week at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
In the evaluation summary, the president’s physician, Navy Capt. Sean P. Barbabella, stated that Trump, “remains in exceptional health, exhibiting strong cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, and physical performance.”
