Former President Joe Biden has shared an emotional statement after revealing his diagnosis of an “aggressive” form of prostate cancer.
On Sunday, May 18, Biden’s personal office announced in a statement that the 82-year-old had been diagnosed with the disease after seeing a doctor last week.
“Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms,” the statement said.
“On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone,” the statement continued. “While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management. The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”
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In a post on X on Monday, Biden shared a message about his diagnosis alongside a photo of himself with his wife, former first lady Dr. Jill Biden, and their cat Willow.
“Cancer touches us all,’ Biden began. “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.”
According to the American Cancer Society, a prostate cancer’s grade group is a measure of how likely the cancer is to grow and spread quickly. Grade group 5 means that “the cancer might or might not be growing outside the prostate and into nearby tissues. It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes or elsewhere in the body.”
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Days before his diagnosis was revealed, a spokesperson for the former president shared an update on his health in a statement to ABC News and confirmed that “a small nodule was found in the prostate which necessitated further evaluation.”
The nodule was found during a routine physical exam, the spokesperson said on May 13.
Hours after Biden’s diagnosis was shared, President Donald Trump reacted to the news on social media.
Speaking out in a statement on Truth Social, Trump, 78, wished Biden a “successful recovery.”
“Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis,” Trump wrote. “We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”
