Former US President Biden undergoing radiation therapy for cancer, says spokesperson

Former US President Joe Biden is receiving radiation therapy for his prostate cancer diagnosed in May, a spokesperson for him said on Saturday.

"As part of a treatment plan for prostate cancer, President Biden is currently undergoing radiation therapy and hormone treatment," said the spokesperson.

Biden, who turns 83 next month, in September underwent a procedure known as Mohs surgery to remove cancerous cells from his skin.

The Democratic former president in May revealed that he had been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. His team said the illness was aggressive but hormone-sensitive, meaning it was likely to respond to treatment.

"Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places," Biden, whose son Beau Biden died of cancer in 2015, said at the time in a post on X.

"Thank you for lifting us up with love and support," he said.

Biden’s health had been in the spotlight due to a new book detailing his declining health as he campaigned last year for a second presidential term against Donald Trump.

In July 2024, Biden announced he was dropping out of the race after a disastrous debate performance against Trump and endorsed vice president Kamala Harris for the presidency. She went on to lose to Trump, who began his second term in January.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men, according to the American Cancer Society.

It is particularly common in the elderly—around 80% of men over 80 have some cancerous cells in their prostate gland, research has estimated.

While it is highly treatable if discovered early, it is the second leading cause of cancer death in men, the organisation said.

Hormone therapy is a common treatment that can shrink tumors and slow cancer growth, but is not a cure.

Trump, 79, the oldest person ever elected president, underwent his second medical checkup of the year on Friday and his doctor declared him to be in "excellent overall health."

—With additional input from AFP