Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer that has spread to the bones, according to a statement.
Joe Biden, 82 years old, underwent additional tests last week after the discovery of a nodule in the prostate.
The cancer has a Gleason score of 9, representing a more aggressive case.
“Although this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective treatment,” according to the statement, which states that Biden and his family are reviewing treatment options.
For American males, prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death and the most common cancer besides non-melanoma skin cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Joe Biden left office in January, after completing his first term as president. He decided, during the summer, to drop out of the 2024 presidential race and support then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
Biden commented publicly on his diagnosis on Monday morning (19), writing in an X post that “cancer touches us all”.
“Like many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are stronger in tough moments,” he wrote, alongside a selfie of the couple with their cat, Willow. “Thank you for supporting us with love and support.”
As vice president, Biden led the Cancer Moonshot initiative, launched during the tenure of former President Barack Obama, a year after the death of his son Beau, a victim of brain cancer. Biden reignited the project after becoming president, promising to drastically reduce the cancer mortality rate.
“We can do this. I promise you, we can do this,” Biden said at the White House in 2022. “All those we lost, all those we miss — we can end cancer as we know it.”
President Trump said in a Truth Social post on Sunday that he and First Lady Melania Trump are “sad to learn of Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis”.
“We wish Jill and the family our best wishes and wish Joe a quick and successful recovery,” he wrote.
Harris said in an X post that she and her husband, Doug Emhoff, were saddened to learn of Biden’s diagnosis.
“Joe is a fighter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership,” Harris wrote. “We are hopeful for a full and quick recovery.”
Fonte: www.npr.org