Biden cancer What's Gleason's score?
Joe Biden has cancer. What does Gleason score indicate?
Joe Biden’s Gleason score of 9 signals aggressive prostate cancer. How serious is this condition, and what are the signs and treatment options?
Former US President Joe Biden, aged 82, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his office has confirmed. The announcement comes after he began experiencing urinary symptoms earlier this week. Medical evaluation of his condition revealed a Gleason score of 9 out of 10, indicating an aggressive form of the disease.
A statement from his office noted that Biden’s symptoms led to an immediate medical consultation, which confirmed the presence of prostate cancer. This diagnosis adds to a series of health challenges the former President has faced in recent years.
Public figures including Donald Trump, Melania Trump, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Barack and Michelle Obama have extended their wishes for Biden's speedy recovery.
What is Gleason score?
The Gleason score is a system used to grade prostate cancer based on how the cancer cells look under a microscope. The grading ranges from 1 to 5, where grade 1 resembles normal tissue and grade 5 appears highly abnormal.
"The score is derived from two patterns of cancer cells — each rated between 1 and 5 — and then added together," explained clinical oncologist, Dr. Jovita Martin Daniel. "For example, a score of 7 could mean a primary grade 3 and a secondary grade 4," she said.
Biden’s score of 9 suggests that both the primary and secondary patterns are high-grade, pointing to a fast-growing and potentially more dangerous cancer.
Understanding prostate cancer
Prostate cancer originates in the prostate, a glandular organ in men. “Any abnormal cells developing from this gland form what’s known as adenocarcinoma,” Dr. Jovita clarified.
Typically affecting men above 40, prostate cancer symptoms can include difficulty in urination, increased frequency of urination — especially at night (nocturia) — a weak urine stream, and in some cases, blood in urine or semen.
In advanced stages, the disease may lead to bone pain. “Prostate cancer can spread through the spine via Batson's plexus, often causing bone lesions,” added Dr. Jovita.
Previous health scares
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among American men. One in eight males is expected to develop this cancer during their lifetime.
This isn’t Biden’s first encounter with cancer. In 2023, he had a lesion removed from his chest, later identified as basal cell carcinoma — a common and less aggressive form of skin cancer.
Adding a personal dimension to this news, Biden had previously lost his eldest son, Beau Biden, to brain cancer in 2015.
A message of resilience
As messages of support pour in, Biden's diagnosis reinforces the importance of early detection and resilience in the face of serious illness.
This battle is a very personal one for Biden and one that reminds us all of the importance of early detection and resilience.
The content above has been generated using a fine-tuned AI model. To ensure accuracy, quality, and editorial integrity, we employ a Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) process. While AI assists in creating the initial draft, our experienced editorial team carefully reviews, edits, and refines the content before publication. At The Federal, we combine the efficiency of AI with the expertise of human editors to deliver reliable and insightful journalism.