Former US President Joe Biden has begun radiation therapy alongside hormone treatment for prostate cancer, his spokesperson confirmed, adding that he started the regimen a few weeks ago. NBC News first reported the development. No timeline for the course of therapy was provided.
Biden, 82, disclosed in May that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive prostate cancer that had spread to his bones. At the time, he told CNN, “The expectation is we’re going to be able to beat this… my bones are strong, it hadn’t penetrated,” noting he had started a pill-based treatment.
A Gleason score of 9—among the highest grades—was previously reported by his office, indicating a high-risk tumor. Outside specialists say management is personalized and can include androgen-deprivation (hormone) therapy, newer androgen-signaling inhibitors, radiation, and sometimes chemotherapy. While bone metastases make the disease incurable, recent therapies have “extended the longevity of patients significantly,” urologic oncologist Dr. Benjamin Davies said earlier.
Radiation in this setting can be used to control disease at the prostate/pelvis, relieve painful or high-risk bone lesions, and reduce overall tumor burden. Hormone therapy suppresses testosterone, which fuels prostate cancer growth; common side effects include fatigue, hot flashes, and bone thinning, which clinicians manage with supportive care. Patients with high-risk disease can often maintain a good quality of life during treatment, experts note.
Separately, Biden underwent Mohs surgery last month to remove skin cancer lesions, following a 2023 removal of a basal cell carcinoma from his chest. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common—and typically curable—skin cancer. His physician previously said all cancerous tissue had been successfully removed and that he would continue routine dermatologic surveillance.
Prostate cancer is among the most prevalent cancers in men, with risk rising with age. Diagnosis and treatment decisions typically consider the tumor grade (Gleason score), PSA levels, imaging, and biopsy findings.
Biden, who turns 83 next month, has not publicly detailed any changes to his schedule. His office has framed the current plan as part of a multi-modal approach and expressed confidence in the treatment path.
