Today's News: Joe Biden Diagnosed With Advanced Prostate Cancer

Though the cancer is considered incurable, it is hormone-sensitive and potentially manageable with treatment.

Terrence Dorsey

May 19, 2025

Photo: Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post

Date: May 18–19, 2025
Topic: Joe Biden Diagnosed With Advanced Prostate Cancer
Summary: Former President Joe Biden, age 82, has been diagnosed with an aggressive, metastatic form of prostate cancer, marked by a Gleason score of 9 and spread to the bones. Though the cancer is considered incurable, it is hormone-sensitive and potentially manageable with treatment. The diagnosis comes months after Biden left office and follows longstanding concerns about his health and age. Bipartisan figures, including former President Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, and Barack Obama, issued public messages of support. Biden’s diagnosis also adds new scrutiny to the Democratic Party’s 2024 election decisions and post-election reckoning.

Sources

Key Points

Biden’s cancer is metastatic (spread to the bones), with a high Gleason score of 9, indicating aggressiveness.
The cancer is hormone-sensitive, which allows for multiple treatment options such as hormone therapy, radiation, or chemotherapy.
Experts across sources agree the condition is not curable but potentially manageable, with survival often extending for years.
The diagnosis arrives amid ongoing political debate over Biden’s fitness to have served a second term.
Biden has maintained a low profile post-presidency but has recently reemerged in public interviews and events.
Bipartisan political figures, including Trump, Harris, and Obama, expressed support and well-wishes for Biden.

Unique Highlights

CNN and The New York Times noted Biden's appearance on The View to push back against claims of cognitive decline.
NBC News included quotes from Republican leaders like Speaker Mike Johnson and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene offering sympathy.
Fox News provided a focused medical analysis by Dr. Marc Siegel, emphasizing survival rates, diagnostic process, and treatment side effects.
The Washington Post uniquely addressed Biden’s medical history and broader cancer policy efforts, including the renaming of the Cancer Moonshot program after his son Beau.
The Wall Street Journal quoted experts explaining why surgery is unlikely at Biden’s age and addressed broader implications about electing elderly candidates.

Contrasting Details

Fox News emphasized the advanced nature of the disease and lower five-year survival rates, giving a more stark prognosis than other outlets.
CNN and NBC News were more optimistic, citing recent advances in hormone and chemo therapies that have significantly extended longevity.
The Washington Post and The New York Times detailed political fallout from Biden’s presidency and election decisions; Fox News and The Wall Street Journal were more focused on medical and age-related fitness discussions.
Only The Wall Street Journal cited political scientists warning about the risks of electing older presidents, contrasting with other outlets’ emphasis on bipartisan sympathy.

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