When Joe Biden announced that he had cancer, the news carried a different weight because of who he was: a former president, a longtime public servant, and one of the most recognizable political figures in the world. That attention made the diagnosis feel especially significant.
But behind the headlines was a reality shared by millions of cancer patients: treatment does not always end when the first major procedure is complete. For many people facing advanced cancer, recovery becomes a long-term journey filled with monitoring, medication, and ongoing medical decisions.
More than a year after doctors diagnosed Biden with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had spread to his bones, his aides say he remains active and continues responding to treatment. That update has renewed attention not only on his health but also on the changing landscape of cancer care, where some advanced diseases are increasingly managed as long-term conditions.
Biden’s case has also highlighted an important medical reality: a serious cancer diagnosis does not always mean immediate decline. As treatments have advanced, many patients with advanced prostate cancer have been able to continue living active lives while doctors work to slow the disease and maintain quality of life.
A Serious Diagnosis With a Challenging Outlook
Biden’s post-presidential office announced his prostate cancer diagnosis in May 2025, revealing that doctors had found an aggressive form of the disease that had already spread to his bones.
Medical records released at the time indicated that the cancer had a Gleason score of 9, a rating used by doctors to describe how abnormal and aggressive prostate cancer cells appear under a microscope. The Gleason system ranges from lower-grade cancers that may grow slowly to higher-grade cancers that are more likely to spread.
A Gleason score of 9 is considered high-grade, meaning doctors view the cancer as more aggressive and requiring close medical attention. However, Biden’s medical team also noted an important detail: the cancer appeared to be hormone-sensitive.
That distinction matters because many prostate cancers depend on male hormones, particularly testosterone, to grow. When cancer cells remain sensitive to hormone-blocking treatments, doctors can often slow disease progression through therapies designed to reduce or block those signals.
While metastatic prostate cancer, meaning cancer that has spread beyond the original location, is generally considered incurable, modern treatments have helped many patients manage the disease for extended periods.
The Treatment Path: Radiation and Hormone Therapy
Following his diagnosis, Biden entered a treatment plan that included hormone therapy and radiation.
In October 2025, his medical team confirmed that he underwent a multi-week course of radiation treatment at Penn Medicine’s radiation oncology center in Philadelphia. The treatment followed his diagnosis and included hormone therapy and radiation.
Radiation therapy uses targeted energy to damage cancer cells and prevent them from continuing to grow. For prostate cancer patients, radiation may be used to treat specific areas of concern or help control cancer activity.
Biden also continued androgen deprivation therapy, commonly known as hormone therapy.
This treatment reduces the body’s production of testosterone or blocks its ability to affect cancer cells. For patients with hormone-sensitive metastatic prostate cancer, hormone therapy is often a major part of long-term disease management.
Unlike some short-term treatments, hormone therapy may continue for months or years, depending on how a patient responds and how doctors evaluate the disease over time.
After completing radiation, Biden marked the milestone by ringing a ceremonial bell at the cancer center, a tradition many patients participate in after completing a major phase of treatment.
Doctors Say Prostate Cancer Treatment Has Changed Dramatically
Biden’s diagnosis has drawn attention to how much prostate cancer treatment has evolved. The contrast with earlier decades is especially clear.
Decades ago, advanced prostate cancer often offered fewer treatment options. Today, doctors have access to a wider range of therapies, including improved hormone treatments, targeted medications, chemotherapy, and combination approaches.
For patients whose cancer has spread to the bones but remains hormone-sensitive, doctors may be able to control the disease for years. Cancer specialists say some patients respond well to treatment combinations and experience long periods where the disease remains stable.
However, doctors also emphasize that every case is different. Outcomes still depend on a person’s age, overall health, cancer characteristics, response to treatment, and medical history. A person’s age, overall health, cancer characteristics, response to treatment, and medical history all influence outcomes.
While Biden’s aides have described him as doing well, detailed medical information such as recent PSA levels, imaging results, and other clinical markers has not been publicly released. Those details are often among the most important indicators doctors use to measure whether treatment is working.
Biden’s Public Life Continues Despite Treatment
Since leaving the White House in January 2025, Biden has remained involved in public activities while focusing much of his time on treatment and writing. His schedule has included public appearances, political endorsements, and events connected to his long career in public service. His schedule has included public appearances, political endorsements, and events connected to his long career in public service.
His office has maintained that he remains engaged and encouraged by his response to treatment.
Still, questions about his health have continued because concerns about his age and stamina were already central issues during the final months of his presidency.
The debate intensified after his 2024 presidential debate performance against Donald Trump led to renewed scrutiny from voters and members of his own party. Biden later ended his reelection campaign and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who went on to lose the general election.
His cancer diagnosis added another layer to the public discussion surrounding his health. Still, his team has continued to emphasize that he remains focused on recovery and maintaining an active life.
The Reality of Living With Advanced Cancer
Biden’s experience reflects a broader reality for many cancer patients: treatment and daily life often continue at the same time. Modern cancer care increasingly focuses not only on extending life but also on preserving independence, comfort, and personal goals.
Many patients receiving long-term cancer treatment continue working, spending time with family, traveling, and participating in everyday activities. At the same time, doctors caution that cancer can change over time, which is why regular monitoring remains essential. For patients with advanced prostate cancer, ongoing appointments, blood tests, imaging, and treatment adjustments are often part of the journey.
A Continuing Medical Journey
More than a year after his diagnosis, Joe Biden’s cancer treatment remains ongoing. His aides say he is doing well, and doctors continue managing a disease that medical experts describe as serious but increasingly treatable through modern therapies.
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His case has brought renewed attention to prostate cancer, the realities of aging, and the medical advances helping patients live longer with complex illnesses.
For Biden, the focus remains on treatment, monitoring, and maintaining his quality of life.
For millions of others facing similar diagnoses, his experience serves as a reminder that a cancer diagnosis is not always defined by one moment. It is often a long journey shaped by medical progress, personal resilience, and the continued search for better outcomes.
