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Former President Joe Biden said this week that radiation therapy he received last fall achieved its goal, and he used the occasion of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month to press men to speak with their doctors about testing. The update, posted on social media, framed early detection as the key difference between manageable illness and far worse outcomes.
In a longer message, the 83-year-old thanked medical staff who have cared for him and described the diagnosis as a personal reason to mark the awareness month more closely. He also reiterated that he remains active — including work on his memoir — while managing his health.
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Biden’s condition and treatment
His office disclosed in May 2025 that he was diagnosed with an aggressive prostate cancer that had spread to bone. Medical notes released then identified a Gleason score 9, Grade Group 5, and described the tumor as hormone-sensitive, meaning hormonal therapies remain a treatment option. Biden completed a course of radiation therapy last autumn.
He expressed gratitude for the “skill, dedication and compassion” of doctors, nurses and other caregivers and thanked those who have kept him and his family in their thoughts.
What he urged men to do
Biden emphasized that survival chances rise sharply when prostate cancer is found early. He urged men not to postpone conversations about testing and to “ask the hard questions” with their clinicians — advice he said should be followed for the sake of loved ones as well as oneself.
- Average risk: Begin discussing screening around age 50.
- Higher risk (Black men or family history): Start conversations around age 45.
- Very high risk: Some men should consider talking to their doctors at age 40.
- Discuss benefits and downsides of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and follow-up steps with a clinician.
Public health groups recommend personalized conversations rather than blanket testing for everyone. Biden’s message underscores that individualized decisions — informed by family history, race and other risk factors — are the medically advised route.
Why this matters now
Prostate cancer remains one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in men. Advances in detection and treatment mean many cases are controllable when caught early; metastatic disease, by contrast, requires more intensive, ongoing management.
The former president’s update is significant because it places a high-profile voice behind routine screening conversations at a time when public health campaigns are trying to reverse delays in cancer care. For patients, clinicians and families, the practical takeaway is clear: early dialogue can change outcomes.
