His office announced on Sunday that former President Joe Biden is fighting a “aggressive” form of prostate cancer, adding that his condition is characterized by “Gleston 9 degree”.
His office also said that the Biden diagnosis included a malignant tumor to the bone.
The Biden Cancer Diagnosis comes after a small colonel was found in the former head of prostate after a “routine physical examination” on Tuesday. His spokesman said at the time that the discovery of nodules “necessitated more evaluation.”
In February 2023-while the former 82-year-old was working in the White House-Biden was removed from his cancerous chest, according to the former White House doctor. In addition, before entering the office, Biden had many other than melanoma skin cancers with mohs surgery.
Since the world interacts with Biden’s medical news, ABC News has divided the meaning of his condition and what potential treatments can be done.
What do you know about prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that is formed in the prostate tissues, and the small prostate gland for men that produce semen, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
This is the most common cancer and the second main cause of cancer death among men in the United States, according to the FBI.
National Institutes of Health on an estimated 313,780 new cases of prostate cancer this year – represent more than 15 % of all new cancer cases.
An estimated 35,770 deaths of prostate cancer will occur this year – representing 5.8 % of all cancer deaths, according to the agency.
US President Joe Biden offers notes at a press conference at Filoli Estate on November 15, 2023 in Wodeside, California. The press conference follows a meeting between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the week of the leaders of economic cooperation in Asia and the Pacific (APEC), the first since their meeting at the Indonesian Al -Jazeera resort in Bali in November 2022.
Kent Nishimura/Getty Pictures
Prostate cancer has a relative survival rate for five years, which means that the percentage of people alive after five years of diagnosis is about 98 %.
In general, prostate cancer grows very slowly, and finding symptoms may not improve men’s health or help them live longer.
However, it is generally a more type of cancer treatment, even when it spreads more.
Nearly 12.9 % of men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives, according to the National Democratic Institutes Agency. In 2022, there was an estimated 3.5 million men suffering from prostate cancer in the United States.
The average age of the diagnosis of prostate cancer is 68 years, according to the agency, while the average life of prostate cancer is 79.
While the agency rates reports on new prostate cancer cases increase by 1.8 % on average each year from 2013 to 2022, the average death rates decreased by 0.6 % every year between 2014 and 2023.
What is the degree of Gleson?
The Gleason, or Gleason degree, indicates the possibility of cancer and spread, but it does not expect the result.
It is a way to describe prostate cancer based on the abnormal extent of cancer cells in the biopsy sample under a microscope and the extent of its growth and spread, according to NIH.
Gleason is calculated by adding two grades of cancer cells that make up the largest areas of the biopsy sample, says the National Institutes of Health.
The grades system usually ranges from 6 to 10.
Biden’s diagnosis indicates a 9th of 9 to the fact that his cancer is aggressive.
Degree 9 indicates that cancer cells look completely different from the natural prostate cells and are likely to grow and spread quickly. This puts cancer in Group 5, which is the highest risk category, linked to a greater probability of malignant tumor and the most challenging diagnosis. However, despite the aggressive apparent cancer, its sensitive nature of hormones provides an applicable therapeutic path.
Possible treatment options
Although Piden’s official treatment plan is still announced, possible options for the former president include hormonal therapy, or androgen deprivation (ADT), which can reduce male hormone levels that can feed the growth of prostate cancer.
This approach can effectively slow down the development of the disease and manage symptoms, even in the advanced stages where cancer has spread to the bones.
Regular monitoring of the levels of antigens for prostate (PSA) is very important, as the high levels of PSA can indicate cancer activity and help evaluate the effectiveness of treatment.
Surgery is usually an option in cases such as Biden, when the disease spreads to the bone and is not limited to the prostate.
After the former president’s diagnosis, the American Cancer Society issued a statement saying: “This news is a reminder of the tragic influence of prostate cancer in the United States.”
ACS said: “Early detection is essential, and we are worried about the 5 % increase on an annual basis in the diagnosis of men with more advanced disease. We can do more to prevent late diagnosis and death from prostate cancer.”
FUTHER resources are available on the American Cancer Society a day around the week (1-800-227-2345) and website, CANCER.ORG.
