Joe Biden’s Prostate Cancer Progression and Current Healthcare Insights

Reports have emerged regarding the progression of former President Joe Biden’s prostate cancer, as disclosed by his son Hunter Biden in a recent interview with BBC Newsnight. Hunter revealed that Biden’s cancer has metastasized to his bones, resulting in a painful and debilitating condition that is challenging in many respects.

Joe Biden, 83, initially announced his prostate cancer diagnosis in May 2025, following the detection of a ‘small nodule’ in his prostate during a routine examination. Subsequent developments have shown that while this form of cancer is aggressive, it remains hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management.

The former president has undergone hormone therapy and radiation treatment, completed at Penn Medicine Radiation Oncology in Philadelphia in October 2025. Aside from hormone therapy, other viable treatment options for prostate cancer include chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and radiopharmaceutical treatments.

Fox News Digital attempted to obtain further comments from Biden’s office regarding these revelations.

Understanding Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer commonly develops in the prostate gland in men. The incidence of this disease has increased by approximately 3% annually from 2014 to 2021, says the American Cancer Society (ACS). Advanced-stage prostate cancer rates have risen by about 5% yearly during the same period.

In the United States, an estimated 333,830 new cases and 36,320 deaths are anticipated in 2026. Men have a one in eight chance of being diagnosed in their lifetime, and older men are at greater risk, with 60% of cases diagnosed in patients 65 and older. The usual age at diagnosis is 67, with occurrences in men under 40 being rare. Prostate cancer ranks as the second-most prevalent cancer among men, following skin cancer.

Symptoms and Signs

Routine screenings often detect prostate cancer early, before symptoms materialize, according to ACS. Early symptoms usually include urinary issues, such as weak or slow urinary flow and an increased need to urinate, alongside possible blood in bodily fluids. Once cancer spreads, more severe symptoms can arise, such as pain in the hips, spine, ribs, or other regions.

Erectile dysfunction, weight loss, extreme fatigue, leg and feet weakness, or loss of bladder or bowel control may also manifest.

Screening Recommendations

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that men aged 55 to 69 should be given the option for periodic prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based screenings for prostate cancer. Men pondering screenings should discuss potential benefits and drawbacks with their clinicians and factor their values and preferences into the decision.

Screening presents a small potential benefit of mortality risk reduction, but it also bears risks like false-positive results, overdiagnosis, overtreatment, and treatment-related complications. Research continues into alternative screening methods, including non-invasive urine tests.

Survival Rates

The ACS reports that for localized prostate cancers, the five-year survival rate is at least 99%. Regional cases, where cancer spreads to nearby structures or lymph nodes, have similar survival rates. In cases where cancer spreads further, the five-year survival rate is reduced to 37%.

Actual survival rates may differ based on factors such as the patient’s age, overall health, the progression of cancer post-diagnosis, and treatment response, according to ACS insights.

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