Joe Biden’s Stage 4 Prostate Cancer Diagnosis: What It Means and Why It Matters
Joe Biden’s Stage 4 Prostate Cancer Diagnosis: What It Means and Why It Matters
By Jason “Big Mama” Jones | May 19, 2025
Former President Joe Biden has shared deeply personal news with the world: he’s battling stage 4 prostate cancer. The 82-year-old statesman revealed that his cancer has spread to his bones, a sign of an advanced and aggressive illness.
While Biden’s announcement struck a somber chord, it also opened up a vital conversation about men’s health—especially around prostate cancer, a disease that often hides in plain sight.
Understanding Stage 4 Prostate Cancer
Dr. Christopher Wee, a specialist in genitourinary cancers at the Cleveland Clinic, offered insight into the diagnosis. According to him, Biden’s cancer carries a Gleason Score of 9, indicating a highly aggressive form of the disease. This doesn’t refer to a “stage 9” cancer—cancer stages top out at 4—but rather describes how abnormal the cancer cells look under a microscope.
“When prostate cancer reaches stage 4, it has spread beyond the prostate, often into bones or other organs,” Dr. Wee said. “At this point, the disease is not considered curable—but it is treatable.”
What Treatment Looks Like
In Biden’s case, the cancer is hormone-sensitive, which opens the door to therapies designed to starve the cancer of testosterone, its main fuel source. Hormone therapy—typically pills or injections—becomes the backbone of treatment, replacing surgery or radiation in many advanced cases.
The aim is not to cure, but to control: slow the cancer’s growth, reduce symptoms, maintain quality of life, and potentially extend survival.
Why Prostate Cancer Often Goes Undetected
One of the most dangerous things about prostate cancer is how quietly it develops. Dr. Wee explains that many men may carry the disease for years without a single noticeable symptom. Even the most commonly used blood test—the PSA (prostate-specific antigen)—has its flaws.
“A high PSA doesn’t always mean cancer,” he said. “And not all prostate cancers cause PSA to rise.”
Symptoms, when they do appear, are often vague—urinary issues, fatigue, or bone pain—but they’re easily written off as normal aging. That’s why early detection is so tricky, and why regular screenings, especially for men over 50, are critical.
A Message from the Bidens
In a heartfelt statement shared on social media, Biden said, “Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places.”
The Bidens’ public acknowledgment of this private battle serves as a reminder that no one is immune to the health challenges life can throw at us—regardless of fame, power, or position.
What You Can Do
If you’re a man over 50—or have a family history of prostate cancer—talk to your doctor about screening. Know the signs, ask questions, and trust your instincts. As Dr. Wee put it, “You know your body better than anyone. If something’s changing, speak up.”
