Former President Joe Biden is undergoing a five-week course of radiation therapy alongside ongoing hormone treatment for prostate cancer that has metastasized to his bones, according to a report from NBC News.
The new phase of treatment marks a major development in the 82-year-old’s battle with cancer, which was first publicly confirmed in May, months after The Dallas Express reported that Biden’s White House had downplayed and denied early concerns about his health during his final months in office.
“As part of a treatment plan for prostate cancer, President Biden is currently undergoing radiation therapy and hormone treatment,” a spokesperson for the former president told NBC News.
Sources familiar with the plan told the outlet that the treatment will span five weeks. Biden has already been taking pill-based hormone medication and is said to be “doing well.”
Background: Diagnosis and Disclosure Questions
Biden’s diagnosis was first reported in May, following months of speculation about his health. The Dallas Express later detailed how the White House and several media outlets downplayed earlier concerns about the president’s condition during his final months in office.
The disclosure reignited public questions about transparency in presidential health reporting, with critics noting that the administration and legacy media had dismissed or ignored early signs of the illness while he was still president.
Details of Current Treatment
NBC News reported that Biden’s current course includes radiation therapy in addition to hormone therapy, part of an effort to slow the spread of metastatic prostate cancer.
Last month, Biden also underwent Mohs surgery to remove a skin cancer lesion from his forehead. His physician wrote in a memo that “all cancerous tissue was successfully removed” and “no further treatment is required.”
The former president’s office said in May that he was pursuing “several treatment options to ensure effective management” of the disease.
Medical and Screening Context
DX reported that Biden’s prostate cancer has metastasized to his bones, a sign of advanced-stage disease. His medical team has not publicly released an official stage classification, though bone metastases typically correspond to the most advanced phase of prostate cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, “Stage IVB cancers have spread to distant organs such as the bones when the cancer is found. Most stage IVB cancers can’t be cured, but they are treatable. The goals of treatment are to keep the cancer under control for as long as possible and to improve a man’s quality of life.”
The American Cancer Society recommends regular prostate cancer screening primarily for men between the ages of 50 and 69. It remains unclear whether Biden was screened during his last medical examination as president, which took place in 2024.
NBC cited multiple oncologists who noted that metastatic prostate cancer can go undetected for years, especially in older patients who are no longer routinely screened.
Political Implications and Public Reaction
Biden left the White House in January, ending his term after suspending his re-election campaign and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for president.
His decision followed months of political and media scrutiny over his physical and cognitive fitness. Allegations that he was too old or frail to serve a second term dominated headlines throughout 2024.
The latest development is likely to renew discussion about presidential health transparency and the handling of medical information during his administration.
In a statement shared when announcing his diagnosis, Biden wrote, “Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support.”
What Comes Next
Biden’s treatment is expected to continue through mid-November. NBC News described the radiation therapy as “marking a new point in his care,” and the former president “is said to be doing well,” according to the report.
The combined hormone and radiation therapy is intended to help manage the disease’s progression and extend remission, though metastatic IVB prostate cancer remains incurable.