Former U.S. President Joe Biden has begun radiation therapy as part of his treatment for an aggressive form of prostate cancer, his spokesperson confirmed on Saturday.
“As part of his treatment plan for prostate cancer, President Biden is currently undergoing radiation therapy and hormone treatment,” the spokesperson told CNN.
The therapy reportedly began several weeks ago, though no specific timeline has been disclosed.
Biden’s diagnosis was first made public in May, when his office revealed that he had been diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer that had already spread to his bones.
“The expectation is we’re going to be able to beat this,” Biden told CNN two weeks after the diagnosis. “It’s not in any organ, my bones are strong, it hasn’t penetrated. So, I’m feeling good.” He added that he had begun a pill regimen as part of his treatment.
Medical experts have described the diagnosis as serious but treatable. Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, a urologist with Orlando Health, noted that while prostate cancer is common, the high Gleason score of 9 indicates one of the most aggressive forms.
Dr. Benjamin Davies, a professor of urologic oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre, explained that although the cancer’s spread to the bones “is very serious and not curable,” modern hormone and chemotherapy treatments have shown “remarkable improvements” in patient longevity.
Biden, who turns 83 next month, has faced several health challenges in recent years. Last month, he underwent Mohs surgery to remove skin cancer lesions, a procedure also performed in 2023 to treat basal cell carcinoma. His physician confirmed at the time that “all cancerous tissue was successfully removed.”
Biden’s ongoing treatment comes nearly a decade after the loss of his son, Beau Biden, who died from brain cancer in 2015.
