Former US President Joe Biden is receiving radiation therapy and hormone treatment for prostate cancer. His spokesperson Kelly Scully confirmed this on 11 Oct 2025.
The radiation sessions started several weeks ago. They’re expected to last five weeks. Biden is being treated in Philadelphia.
The Diagnosis
Biden’s post-presidential office announced the diagnosis in May 2025. He has an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones.
The 82-year-old reported urinary issues. Medical professionals discovered a small nodule on his prostate during examination.
Biden’s cancer has a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5). This places it in the most aggressive risk category. Gleason scores range from 6 to 10. Higher numbers mean more aggressive cancer.
A Gleason score of 9 indicates the cancer cells look very different from normal prostate cells. They’re likely to grow and spread quickly.
Treatment Plan
The former president is undergoing both radiation therapy and hormone treatment. Biden had already been taking hormone medication in pill form before starting radiation therapy.
The cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive. This allows for effective management. Biden mentioned in May that his treatment involved “taking a pill, one particular pill, for the next six weeks and then another one”.
A person close to Biden told CBS News that the former president is doing well and responding to treatment.
Additional Health Concerns
Biden underwent Mohs surgery in September 2025. Doctors removed cancerous skin lesions from his forehead.
His doctor stated in a memo that “all cancerous tissue was successfully removed”. No further treatment is required.
In February 2023, while still in office, Biden had a cancerous skin lesion removed from his chest during his annual physical. Further testing confirmed it was basal cell carcinoma. This is the most common form of skin cancer.
Future Public Engagements
Biden plans to maintain his schedule for upcoming public appearances despite undergoing radiation therapy. He is set to receive an achievement award at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute in Boston on 26 Oct 2025.
Biden is also scheduled to speak at a fundraising dinner for the Nebraska Democratic Party in Omaha on 7 Nov 2025.
Biden will turn 83 years old in November 2025. He completed his presidency in January 2025, making history as the oldest individual to hold the office.
