Former U.S. President Joe Biden is undergoing radiation therapy as part of his ongoing treatment for prostate cancer, his spokesperson confirmed this week, marking a new phase in a health battle that has quietly defined his post-presidency.
Biden, 82, is also receiving hormone therapy alongside the radiation regimen, which is expected to last five weeks, according to NBC News. The treatment is being administered in Philadelphia, where the former president has been staying for much of the summer.
The development follows his May announcement that doctors had discovered an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had already spread to his bones. The diagnosis came after he reported urinary difficulties, prompting further scans that revealed a small nodule on his prostate. Medical reports from the time described the disease as a “Grade Group 5” cancer with a Gleason score of 9 — a classification indicating that the cancer cells are high-grade and capable of spreading rapidly.
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Despite the seriousness of the diagnosis, Biden’s medical team said the cancer remains “hormone-sensitive,” allowing for effective management through treatment. A person familiar with his condition told CBS News that Biden has been “doing well and responding positively,” suggesting that the therapy, which began several weeks ago, is proceeding as planned.
The former president’s health had long been the subject of public scrutiny during his time in office. His age and visible fatigue during public appearances fueled questions about his ability to seek re-election, a decision he ultimately abandoned late in his campaign. His former vice president, Kamala Harris, went on to carry the Democratic ticket but lost to current President Donald Trump.
Cancer, for Biden, has always been more than a personal diagnosis. In 2015, he lost his eldest son, Beau, to brain cancer — a tragedy that spurred his deep commitment to medical research. As president, he relaunched the “Cancer Moonshot” initiative in 2022 with his wife, Jill Biden, pledging to galvanize global research to prevent four million cancer deaths by 2047.
In recent months, Biden has kept a low profile, emerging only occasionally for interviews and private events. In May, during a BBC sit-down — his first since leaving office — he admitted that stepping away from the 2024 race was “difficult but necessary.”
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men after skin cancer. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that roughly 13 out of every 100 men will develop it in their lifetime, with age remaining the strongest risk factor.