Former US President Biden has reportedly been diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer. Experts point out that there have been significant advances in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer over the past 10 years. Even patients with metastatic prostate cancer can survive "5 to 10 years, or even longer."
According to a report by AFP, Biden's office stated that the 82-year-old Biden sought medical attention last week due to symptoms of a urinary system disorder, and a nodule was found on his prostate. On the 16th, it was diagnosed as prostate cancer, with cancer cells having already spread to the bones.
The office statement continued: "Although this is a more aggressive type of cancer, it appears to be hormone-sensitive, allowing for effective treatment. The President and his family are consulting with his medical team to discuss treatment options."
According to statistics from the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men, with 1 in 8 men in the United States being diagnosed with this type of cancer during their lifetime.
The second leading cause of cancer death among men
The American Cancer Society states that if detected early, the cure rate for prostate cancer is very high, but it remains the second leading cause of cancer death among men.
Hormone therapy is a common treatment method, which can shrink the tumor and delay the growth of cancer cells, but cannot cure the cancer.
According to the statement, Biden's cancer "has a Gleason score of 9 (grade 5)."
The American Cancer Society points out that based on the arrangement of tumor cells, those arranged most like normal cells are grade 1, and those arranged most chaotically are grade 5, with a Gleason score of 10 being the maximum. This indicates the severity of Biden's condition.
Reuters reported that according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), of the 236,659 prostate cancer cases diagnosed in 2021, 70% were diagnosed before the cancer cells spread beyond the prostate, and about 8% of the new cases diagnosed that year were in the advanced stage.
Langone Health urologist Dr. Raphael R. Reiter said, a score of 9 represents a "very high risk," but he added that even with metastatic prostate cancer, many men can survive "5 to 10 years, or even longer."
He said: "Over the past 10 years, much progress has been made in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer."