Biden battles advanced prostate cancer: Experts weigh in
Joe Biden, the former President of the USA, is battling advanced prostate cancer with bone metastasis. Experts explain why PSA tests were not regularly conducted for him.
Key information
- Joe Biden did not regularly undergo PSA testing, which delayed the diagnosis.
- Experts emphasize that the PSA test is not recommended for older men.
- Biden's prostate cancer is advanced, but effective treatment is possible.
Joe Biden, the former President of the USA, has been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer with bone metastasis. His office released this information, highlighting that effective treatment is possible. The diagnosis sparked questions about why the disease was detected so late in Biden, who, as President, had access to top-notch medical care.
Experts point out that the PSA test, which could have detected the cancer earlier, is not recommended for older men. The American Cancer Society and the US Preventive Services Task Force do not recommend this testing for men over the age of 70 if there are no symptoms of disease.
Prostate cancer generally progresses slowly. In many cases, even after detection, observation is recommended instead of aggressive treatment. Among older individuals, the disease progresses more slowly, which also influences screening decisions.
Experts on exceptional cases
Prof. Bilai Siddiqui from Anderson Cancer Center in Houston emphasizes the existence of so-called interval cancers, which are very aggressive forms of the disease. They may not be detected in one test but appear in an advanced form in the next test a year later.
These are the most aggressive cancers, as reported by the 9news.
Despite the advanced stage of the disease, Joe Biden's cancer cells are sensitive to hormone therapy. This offers hope for effectively halting the progression of the disease, at least temporarily.
