On Sunday, the office of former President Joe Biden announced that he was diagnosed with something “aggressive” of prostate cancer.
Biden’s office said that cancer was diagnosed after “urine symptoms” and that it had spread, and spread to its bones.
The statement added that cancer is “hormone sensor”, which may allow effective treatment options, which Biden and his family review.
Here is what to know about prostate cancer including signs and symptoms, how it is diagnosed and how it is treated.
President Joe Biden refers to a farewell letter to the nation from the White House Oval Office in Washington, January 15, 2025.
Mandel Nagan/Get on Reuters, files
What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer – after skin cancer – diagnosed in American men, according to American Cancer Association (ACS), the country’s leading cancer organization.
The prostate is found under the bladder and in front of the rectum. ACS said that most of the prostate cancers develop from the cells of the prostate, which makes the fluid added to the semen.
Diagnosis rates have increased by 3 % every year since 2014, according to ACS.
It is estimated that about one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his life.
ACS estimates that there will be about 313,780 cases of prostate cancer and about 35,770 cases of prostate cancer in 2025.
What are the signs and symptoms?
Early prostate cancer in general It does not cause symptoms But when symptoms occur, they include urination or blood problems in the urine or semen, according to ACS.
When prostate cancer is advanced, which means that it has grown more or has been transferred, it may cause other problems including erectile dysfunction; Weakness or numbness in the legs; Loss of bladder or intestinal control; Weight loss is tired; Or pain of ribs, hips, or spine when cancer spreads to the bones.
Dr. Maha Hussein, an expert in prostate cancer and a professor of medicine at Geneviev Toton, at the Department of Blood Diseases at the Faculty of Medicine at Northwestern Western Finnberg in Chicago, told ABC News that it is common for prostate cancer to be found through regular annual exams than symptoms.
She added that many symptoms, such as frequent urination or the difficulty of passing urine, may not be due to prostate cancer, but because of the extended prostate, which is common among the elderly men.
How to screen for prostate cancer
Prostate cancer can often be found Examination testsWhich increases the risk of successful treatment.
ACS recommends speaking with their health care provider about the screen decision and to establish these discussions at the age of 40 or 45 for those who are at great risk and 50 years for those at risk of average.
President Joe Biden addresses the nation from the White House Park in Washington, November 7, 2024.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images, files
The examination test includes one of the blood test that measures the level of prostate antigens (PSA), which are cells made of cells in the prostate gland.
Although there is no cutting level clearly indicating the presence of cancer, ACS said that many doctors use four ng per milliliter to recommend more tests with a urologist.
Dr. Netin Yaram, co -director of Urology at the John The Dour Center for Cancer at the Hakkinsak University Medical Center in New Jersey, said that the PSA test is a good tool, but there are also a stick.
He told ABC News: “The use of a PSA exam is similar to the use of heavy hammer for a small nail steady, so it is not very accurate.” “Psa can be raised to a variety of different causes, whether it is inflammation, infection. Cancer is one of them, however [the test] It does not differentiate between all of these. “
He added: “This is still a great tool, and it is very important for men who have high PSA getting more work to help determine the reason for this.”
Prostate cancer can also be tested by examining the digital rectum, which is when the doctor inserts a lubricated glove in the rectum to feel the bumps or difficult areas on the prostate that indicates the cancer, according to ACS.
Patients may also undergo Prostate biopsyIt is when the prostate cells samples are studied under a microscope to verify cancer.
the National Institute of Cancer The GLASON Gleason Disponders can be set to determine the possibility of cancer growth and spread. The result is determined by “adding two degrees of cancer cells that make up the largest areas of the biopsy sample,” according to NCI.
The Gleson degree usually ranges between six to 10 with higher degrees, indicating a stronger possibility of progress. President Biden’s office said that he had a nine Gleston.
What are the treatment options?
Prostate cancer treatment options differ depending on the stage where the cancer is located and its spread.
Hussein said: “The good news is, at the present time, we had a significant improvement in the medical administration of prostate cancer that spread, and there was a great prolongation of life, and therefore there are all types of different treatment options available to these patients.”
As for the small or translated prostate cancer of the prostate, doctors may recommend Observation or active monitoring To monitor whether the symptoms change or if the cancer has started to grow.
President Joe Biden is walking to speak at the White House Park in Washington, November 26, 2024.
Ben Cortis/AP, files
Surgery and radiotherapy Experts told ABC News that the most common treatments for men who are classified as low or intermediate risks.
For men whose cancer is more advanced, chemotherapy or hormonal therapy – which is also known as the latter as as Treating androgen deprivation – It is the most common.
“We know the hormone testosterone is a driver for prostate cancer, and it is clear that all men suffer from testosterone.” “It has a basic matter for the anti -androgen treatment plan that is really reducing the levels of testosterone to nearly zero as much as possible to help stop the development of prostate cancer and provide treatment.”
Yaram added: “Specifically for President Biden, who is clearly not careful, but he has cancer in the fourth stage, so for him, it is possible that anti -androgen treatment or chemotherapy is the first line for him.”
Experts said it is important to follow up on prostate cancer patients with their doctor after treatment to search for signs of cancer recurrence or side effects of treatment.
What are the survival rates?
As for translated or regional cancer, this means that cancer in the prostate or the cancer has spread to the nearby structures, there is a The rate of survival for five years Of more than 99 %, according to ACS.
ACS said that for cancer that has spread to other parts of the body such as lungs, liver or bones, the five -year survival rate is about 37 %.
Hussein said that although the prostate cancer cancer is not subject to healing, it can be treated largely, and that survival rates have increased over the past three decades.
Hussein said: “We really have made a very long way in terms of the time when patients live,” Hussein said. “When I entered this field, let’s say in 1990, it was an average life with metastian prostate cancer, approximately, about two and a half years. Now we have doubled more and … we have many men who actually live for a longer period in my practice over the years.”
