What to know about Biden's prostate cancer diagnosis.

4 hours ago 4

Doctor breaks down Biden's crab diagnosis

Doctor breaks down Biden's crab diagnosis 04:22

Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer astatine property 82. The erstwhile president's bureau said helium has an "aggressive form" of the cancer, which has dispersed to his bones.

His crab was categorized arsenic having a Gleason people of 9, which places him successful Grade Group 5, the astir terrible category.

Here's what to cognize astir the disease, its symptoms and treatments:

Prostate crab symptoms

Most men are diagnosed with prostate crab earlier they commencement showing symptoms, arsenic aboriginal informing signs of prostate crab are rare, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. The severity of symptoms tin beryllium connected the determination of the cancerous cells and however precocious the illness has become.

Symptoms tin see urinary issues, specified arsenic predominant urination, anemic oregon interrupted flow, humor successful urine and occupation either holding successful oregon starting urination, according to Johns Hopkins. Other symptoms tin see trouble getting and maintaining an erection, achy ejaculation and symptom oregon stiffness successful the little back, hips oregon precocious thighs, Johns Hopkins says.

Urinary symptoms, specified arsenic predominant urination oregon trouble urinating, are rather communal successful older men and are usually owed to benign conditions similar having an enlarged prostate, CBS News aesculapian contributor Dr. Celine Gounder says.

But successful this case, Biden's bureau said his symptoms led to a prostate exam that resulted successful the discovery of a tiny nodule. Further investigating determined it was cancerous.

Some urologists were amazed that the 82-year-old underwent prostate crab screening astatine all, according to Dr. Gounder, due to the fact that regular screening successful men implicit 75 is controversial. Many prostate cancers astatine that property are slow-growing, and overtreatment tin bash much harm than good, she said.

Prior to the diagnosis, Biden had received a cleanable measure of wellness during a February 2024 physical, successful which helium was declared "fit to serve" portion inactive successful office.

His concern underscores the value of tailoring aesculapian decisions to the individual, Dr. Gounder says. The erstwhile president had caller symptoms and is functionally active, which justified a person look.

Gleason people and what bony metastasis means

Gleason scores are a grading strategy for prostate cancer, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Pathologists people each insubstantial illustration connected a 1 to 5 scale. The little the grade, the much crab cells look similar mean cells.

Each country of prostate crab whitethorn person a antithetic grade, truthful pathologists prime the 2 areas that marque up astir of the cancer. They adhd the 2 areas' grades to travel up with a Gleason score, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Biden had a Gleason people of 9 (Grade Group 5), which is determined by the pathologist who looked astatine cells nether a microscope.

A people of 9 is the 2nd highest connected the scale, which goes to 10. For scores 8, 9 and 10, the "cells look precise antithetic from steadfast cells, which is called poorly differentiated oregon undifferentiated," the Cleveland Clinic said.

The categorization suggests a mediocre prognosis without intervention, according to Dr. Gounder.

Moreover, Biden's prostate crab diagnosis came with the beingness of bony metastases, meaning the illness has spread. It places him wrong the high/very high-risk absorption group.

Is prostate crab curable?

Prostate crab is often curable if it's identified and treated early, according to the Mayo Clinic.

In Biden's lawsuit — fixed his property and wellness — the extremity isn't to cure the illness but to power it, to dilatory progression and sphere prime of life, Dr. Gounder says. Since the erstwhile president is reportedly successful bully functional health, much assertive attraction is connected the table. But these decisions ever measurement the benefits against the imaginable risks and broadside effects, based connected the individual's wide information and priorities.

While Biden's diagnosis represents a much assertive signifier of prostate cancer, his bureau said the crab appears to beryllium hormone-sensitive. This means the crab should respond to testosterone-blocking treatment, since testosterone fuels prostate crab growth, according to Dr. Gounder.

Based connected what is known astir his diagnosis, the superior attraction would beryllium to artifact testosterone with a medicine similar Lupron, Dr. Gounder says. This mightiness beryllium combined with different hormone therapies similar Zytiga, oregon adjacent chemotherapy, depending connected the circumstantial case.

Bone-targeted treatments are besides portion of the strategy erstwhile the crab has dispersed to the skeleton, according to Dr. Gounder.

Biden is among an estimated 313,780 caller cases of prostate crab volition beryllium diagnosed successful the U.S. this year, according to the American Cancer Society's Cancer Facts & Figures. Approximately 35,770 of them (11%) volition dice from the illness this year, the enactment said.