Former President Joe Biden issued a poignant message on X after earlier announcing that he is battling an aggressive form of prostate cancer.
The 82-year-old Biden was diagnosed on Friday with prostate cancer after reporting urinary symptoms, according to an official statement from his office. He and his family are currently reviewing treatment options with his medical team.
Biden, responding after confirmation that the cancer had spread to his bones, said:
“Cancer touches us all. 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.”
You can see his post below.
He attached the following photo of himself, his wife Dr. Jill Biden, and their cat Willow.
@JoeBiden/X
Many sent Biden their condolences and best wishes.
In 2021, nearly 237,000 men in the U.S. were diagnosed with prostate cancer, according to CDC data. The majority—about 70%—received their diagnosis before the cancer had moved beyond the prostate. Advanced-stage cases, where the disease had already spread, made up around 8% of new diagnoses that year.
Prostate cancer has a five-year relative survival rate of about 98%, meaning most men diagnosed are still alive five years later. While it tends to grow slowly—and early detection doesn’t always translate to longer life—it's typically considered one of the more treatable forms of cancer, even after it has spread.
Though details of Biden’s treatment plan have not yet been disclosed, one likely option is hormone therapy, or androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). This approach lowers levels of male hormones that help the cancer grow, and is commonly used to manage symptoms and slow progression, particularly in advanced cases where the disease has reached the bones.
Surgery is generally not considered a viable option in cases like Biden’s; at that stage, treatment typically focuses on slowing the disease’s progression and managing symptoms rather than attempting curative procedures.
