An expert and trained prostate cancer physician has made a grim prognosis following the news that Joe Biden has been diagnosed with the disease.
Former president Biden largely disappeared from the public spotlight following the inauguration of his successor, Donald Trump, in January. Forced to contend with mass speculation regarding his health and cognitive faculties, Biden would have been forgiven for seeking some quiet time following his four years in the White House.
Yet a statement from his office yesterday (Sunday, May 18) delivered the heartbreaking news that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive cancer that has spread to his bones.
The discovery was reportedly made on Friday after he reported urinary symptoms, leading to doctors finding a small nodule on his prostate.
“Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms,” Biden’s office said in a statement on Sunday.
“On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterised by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone.
“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management.”
Former colleagues and political opponents quickly showed their support for the 82-year-old former president. Though he’s ever been quick to pour scorn and verbally attack Biden, President Donald Trump said in a post on his social media platform Truth Social that he and Melania Trump were “saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis.”
The POTUS continued: “We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family. We wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”
Needless to say, word of Biden’s diagnosis has become global news. Thus it has attracted the attentions of doctors and experts the world over. One, Dr Howie Forman, professor of radiology and biomedical imaging, public health management, and economics at Yale, claimed on X that it was “inconceivable” that Biden’s prostate cancer was not caught earlier by doctors.
“It is inconceivable that this was not being followed before he left the Presidency. Gleason grade 9 would have had an elevated PSA level for some time before this diagnosis. And he must have had a PSA test numerous times before. This is odd. I wish him well and hope he has an opportunity for maximizing his quality of life,” Forman wrote.
In a later follow-up post, Forman questioned whether Biden “really never had a screening these past dozen years” or if he always “had a normal PSA prior to [the age of] 70.” He added, “It’s just so odd to discover this with bone Mets in a man of his stature and access to care.”
On Fox News, the network’s senior medical analyst, Dr. Marc Siegel, also questioned why it wasn’t caught earlier.
“This was found by physical examination by a prostate exam. A lot of times, we find an elevation in prostate-specific antigen, PSA, and then we go after it‚” Siegel said, adding that he tests all of his male patients who are older than 45 for the disease.
Yet it was the Chief Scientific Officer at the American Cancer Society, Dr William Dahut, who perhaps gave the most damning verdict, revealing that if the cancer has spread to the bones, they “in general” don’t consider it “curable”.
“In general, if cancer has spread to the bones, we don’t think it is considered a curable cancer,” Dr Dahut said.
He did note, however, that most patients tend to respond well to initial treatment, “and people can live many years with the diagnosis”.
Dr Dahut added that an individual with Biden’s diagnosis will likely be offered hormonal therapies to mitigate symptoms and to slow the growth of cancerous cells.
Here’s to wishing Joe Biden well moving forward!
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