Joe Biden diagnosed with 'aggressive' prostate cancer that has spread to his bones

Former US President has been diagnosed with an "aggressive" form of .

Mr Biden's office revealed in a statement today that the former Commander-in-Chief was seen for a "prostate nodule" last week after experiencing urinary symptoms. then diagnosed the 82-year-old with the Grade 5 advanced - indicating it was abnormal and likely to grow and spread quickly - on Friday, finding it has metastasised to his bones. But the statement added that the cancer also appears to be "hormone-sensitive", indicating an avenue for "effective management" and that he and his family are "reviewing treatment options".

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The note from his office read: "Last week, President was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms.

"On Friday he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterised by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone. While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management.

"The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians." Mr Biden served only a single term in the White House from 2020 to 2024, when he handed the campaign reins to Vice President Kamala Harris following growing concerns about his age, health and ability to fight an election against .

Though his physician declared him “fit to serve” after a February 2024 examination at Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre, the former president’s decline during his final year in office stirred concern both publicly and privately.

A forthcoming book, Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, set to be released on Tuesday (May 20), reportedly details the extent of Biden’s ailing health. According to CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson, who authored the book, some senior advisers quietly debated whether Biden might eventually require the use of a wheelchair if he continued into a second term.

The discussion reportedly came amid increasing incidents of imbalance and falls, which were widely noted and criticised during the final stretch of Biden’s presidency.

One widely circulated moment occurred during a June 2023 commencement address at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado, when Biden, 82, tripped onstage and had to be helped to his feet by Secret Service agents. Observers, including medical professionals on social media, pointed out his shuffling gait and growing tendency to stumble, suggesting worsening spine and neurological issues.

White House officials dismissed the concerns at the time, attributing the president’s physical challenges to common effects of ageing. Biden’s decision not to seek reelection in 2024 came after months of speculation and pressure from within his own party.

Though he remained the presumptive nominee for most of the primary season, he eventually ceded the race to then-Vice President Kamala Harris, citing a need for new leadership. Some Democrats now argue that Biden should have made that decision earlier, giving others, including Harris, a better chance to mount a strong campaign against Donald Trump.

Senator Amy Klobuchar said over the weekend that the Democratic Party would have been “better served” by a full primary contest in 2024, rather than defaulting to the incumbent.

She said: "We needed a real debate about the future of the country. Instead, we were stuck in a waiting game." The news of the prostate diagnosis comes as Biden makes a cautious return to public life. He and former First Lady Jill Biden appeared together on ABC’s The View last week, sparking mixed reactions among Democrats about the role the former president should play heading into the 2026 midterms.

He spent last Friday in a Philadelphia hospital following the initial discovery of a "small nodule" which medics said at the time required "further evaluation", a spokesperson said.