Former President Joe Biden has started radiation therapy to treat the prostate cancer he was diagnosed with in May, according to multiple reports.
Key Facts
- The radiation treatment is expected to last five weeks, and the former president has already started to take a hormone pill to treat the cancer, a spokesperson told NBC News.
- Biden, who will turn 83 next month, announced in May he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of late-stage prostate cancer that had metastasized to his bones.
- An unnamed CBS source who is close to the president told the outlet Biden is doing well and responding to the treatment.
- Biden also had skin cancer surgery in September, called Mohs surgery, to remove cancerous tissue.
- He also had a cancerous skin lesion removed during a routine physical in 2023, while he was still in office.
Key Background
Biden announced in May he had stage four prostate cancer. He had been “experiencing increasing urinary symptoms” that led to the discovery of a small nodule on his prostate and elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen. The cancer has a Gleason score of 9. The Gleason scale, which measures the cancer’s aggressiveness, ranges from 6, a lower-grade cancer, to 10, a high-grade cancer.
Tangent
Trump underwent what the White House described as a routine medical checkup Friday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. His physician, Capt. Sean Barabella, reported he “continues to demonstrate excellent overall health,” CBS News reported. It’s unclear why Trump underwent another medical checkup six months after his annual physical earlier this year. Barabella referred to it as a “scheduled follow-up evaluation” and said Trump underwent “advanced imaging, laboratory testing, and preventive health assessments,” adding that “comprehensive laboratory studies performed in conjunction with the visit were exceptional, including stable metabolic, hematologic, and cardiac parameters.” Trump also received his annual flu vaccine and COVID-19 booster vaccine. Trump, 79, has been spotted with bruised hands and swollen ankles on multiple occasions in recent months. Barabella attributed the bruising to “frequent handshaking” and the use of aspirin as part of a cardiovascular prevention routine. Trump was recently diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a relatively common condition that refers to weakened vein function that can cause swelling in the legs. It is usually not serious with treatment.
This article was originally published on forbes.com and all figures are in USD.
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