Health
Joe Biden Starts Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer

WILMINGTON, Del. — Former President Joe Biden is undergoing radiation therapy for prostate cancer that was diagnosed in May, according to a spokesperson on Saturday morning.
“As part of a treatment plan for prostate cancer, President Biden is currently undergoing radiation therapy and hormone treatment,” the spokesperson told NBC News. The radiation therapy is expected to last for five weeks and represents a new phase in the former president’s cancer care.
Biden, who turns 83 next month, was diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer that had spread to his bones. In May, his office announced the diagnosis, and Biden expressed optimism, stating, “The expectation is we’re going to be able to beat this. It’s not in any organ; my bones are strong. It hadn’t penetrated. So, I’m feeling good.”
The former president had already begun treatment with a daily hormone pill prior to starting radiation therapy. In September, he underwent Mohs surgery to remove cancerous cells from his skin.
During this procedure, thin layers of skin are removed and examined under a microscope until the doctor determines no signs of skin cancer remain. Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s physician while he was in office, confirmed that all cancerous tissue was successfully removed.
Biden, who served as the 46th president from January 2021 to January 2025, previously dealt with skin cancer lesions that required removal. In February 2023, he had a basal cell carcinoma removed from his chest.
While Biden has been largely out of the public eye since leaving office, he thanked supporters after revealing his cancer diagnosis in May, sharing, “Cancer touches us all, and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places.”
The Biden family has a history with cancer, as his eldest son, Beau, passed away in 2015 from brain cancer at age 46. Biden has been a staunch advocate for cancer research, having initiated the “Cancer Moonshot” initiative during his tenure as vice president.