The former U.S. president Joe Biden, 83 years old, announced that the radiation therapy he has received to treat his prostate cancer "worked as expected," in the most detailed public message he has provided about his health since the diagnosis was revealed.
In an extensive post on his X account in honor of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, Biden recalled that last year, when he was diagnosed with the disease, it had already spread to his bones.
"So have the conversation with your doctor. Don't postpone it," he suggested.
The former president called for prevention, stating that when prostate cancer is detected early, the five-year survival rate is nearly 100%.
He urged men of average risk to talk to their doctor when they turn 50, with check-ups every two to four years. He warned that Black individuals should start at 45, as they are nearly 70% more likely to develop the disease and two to four times more likely to die from it. "An outrage in the richest country in the world," he emphasized.
Biden thanked the healthcare professionals who have helped him manage his cancer and who continue to care for him. "The radiation treatment from last fall worked as expected, and I continue to do the things that matter to me, like finishing my memoirs," he said.
"It is my hope and my prayer that, by sharing our experience and being part of this important conversation, we can help save lives. Talk to your doctors. Ask the tough questions," he concluded.
The former president was diagnosed in May 2025 with a Gleason score 9 tumor - the highest level on the aggression scale - with bone metastasis already present at the time of detection, although classified as hormone-sensitive, which allowed for active treatment.
In October, Biden began a cycle of radiation therapy combined with hormonal therapy. On the 21st of that month, he completed the treatment.
However, the outlook darkened on August 8th, when his son Hunter Biden revealed in an interview with BBC Newsnight that the cancer had progressed and was causing intense and debilitating pain.
"Cancer has spread, it has metastasized to his bones and beyond. It is very painful and, in many ways, very debilitating," he stated.
The former president's new message offers a more optimistic perspective on the results of the radiation therapy he has undergone.
The publication of his presidential memoirs, titled Promise Me, America, is scheduled for November 17, two weeks after the midterm elections.
Additionally, Biden is expected to attend the ceremony at Ground Zero in New York next Friday, marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, alongside former presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush.
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