Former President Joe Biden issued an update this week on his prostate cancer diagnosis, revealing that radiation treatment from last fall has been effective and that the disease — which had already spread to his bones when discovered — is now under control.
The announcement comes as a significant milestone in Biden’s personal health journey and represents a continuation of his efforts to use his own experience to encourage preventive health measures among American men. His decision to speak publicly about his diagnosis and treatment has drawn attention to a disease that often goes undetected until it has progressed to advanced stages.
Biden marked September as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month with a statement on X urging at-risk men to get screened early.
“More than 330,000 American men this year will hear the words we did last spring when I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. By the time we found it, it had already spread to my bones.”
The former president’s experience underscores one of the central challenges in prostate cancer care: the disease often develops slowly and without symptoms in its early stages, making regular screening critical for catching it before it advances. His case, in which the cancer had already metastasized to his bones by the time of diagnosis, represents the kind of outcome that medical professionals work to prevent through earlier detection protocols.
The former president emphasized that early detection dramatically improves survival rates.
“When prostate cancer is caught early, the five-year survival is close to 100%,” Biden said. He urged men at average risk to begin the conversation with their doctors around age 50, with screening every two to four years.
This screening guidance reflects current medical recommendations that balance the benefits of early detection against the potential risks of overtreatment, as not all prostate cancers are aggressive or life-threatening. The timing and frequency of screening remain subjects of ongoing discussion in the medical community, with various organizations offering slightly different protocols based on risk factors.
Biden noted that Black men face significantly higher risk — nearly 70% more likely to develop prostate cancer and two to four times more likely to die from it. He called that disparity “an outrage in the richest country in the world” and recommended Black men start screening at 45 or earlier.
These disparities represent one of the most pressing health equity challenges in American oncology. Researchers continue to investigate the complex factors behind these differences, including potential genetic components, socioeconomic barriers to healthcare access, and differences in healthcare quality and treatment options available to different communities.
Men with a family history of prostate cancer should also begin screening at 45, Biden advised, or even earlier if multiple family members have had the disease.
Family history is recognized as one of the strongest risk factors for prostate cancer, with men who have a father or brother diagnosed with the disease facing roughly double the risk of the general population. When multiple family members have been affected, particularly at younger ages, the risk increases even further.
The 83-year-old Democrat then shared an update on his own condition following radiation treatment last fall.
“The radiation treatment from last fall worked as intended, and I continue to do the things I care about, like finishing my memoir.”
Biden thanked the medical professionals who have treated him and the supporters who have kept him and his family in their prayers.
His positive response to radiation therapy offers hope to others facing similar diagnoses, particularly those whose cancer has already spread beyond the prostate. Advanced radiation techniques have improved outcomes for many patients with metastatic prostate cancer, helping to control the disease and maintain quality of life.
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United States other than skin cancer. The disease occurs more often in men of African ancestry than in men of other races, and they are often diagnosed at younger ages.
Most prostate cancers are found in men over the age of 65, though the disease can happen at any age.
The former president’s public discussion of his diagnosis continues a tradition of political figures using their health challenges to raise awareness about important medical issues, potentially reaching audiences who might otherwise not engage with health screening messages.
Every September we mark Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. This year it’s more personal for me.
More than 330,000 American men this year will hear the words we did last spring when I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. By the time we found it, it had already spread to my bones.…
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 8, 2026
