Joe Biden Prostate Cancer Treatment Update After Weeks of Radiation Therapy

Former President Joe Biden has completed a round of radiation therapy for an aggressive form of prostate cancer.

The 82-year-old finished several weeks of therapy at Penn Medicine Radiation Oncology in Philadelphia. His office first announced on October 11 that he had been undergoing treatment for the prostate cancer that had spread to his bones.

“He rang the bell today,” a spokeswoman told CBS News, signaling the end of the radiation phase though further care is expected.

Why It Matters

The former president’s health has significant public interest, particularly following his term as the nation’s oldest-ever commander-in-chief and amid ongoing conversations about the effects of age and illness on national leaders.

Biden left the White House in January. He dropped out of the 2024 presidential election race in July of 2024 amid widespread concern over his health and mental fitness. Trump went on to defeat Democrat Kamala Harris, who was Biden’s vice president.

President Donald Trump, who is currently 79 years old and became the oldest person ever elected president this past November, has also sparked significant public interest in his health.

What To Know

Earlier this month, Biden, who will be 83 in November, began a five-week course of radiation therapy as part of his ongoing treatment plan. The plan also includes hormone therapy. Diagnosis of the aggressive, metastasized prostate cancer was publicly announced by Biden in May 2025, which came after he sought medical attention for urinary symptoms.

“As part of a treatment plan for prostate cancer, President Biden is currently undergoing radiation therapy and hormone treatment,” a Biden spokesperson told NBC News, adding that the five-week radiation course marks a new point in his care, following ongoing hormone medication since his diagnosis.

In September, Biden underwent Mohs surgery to remove skin cancer lesions—a procedure his physician said removed all cancerous tissue, requiring no further treatment. Previously, during a routine physical in 2023, another cancerous skin lesion had been successfully removed with similar follow-up.

After leaving office, Biden’s public appearances have indicated he remains active. He most recently spoke publicly at the ACRD conference in Chicago on April 15.

Doctors assess the aggressiveness of prostate cancer using a measure called the Gleason score, which ranges from 6 to 10. Scores of 8 to 10 indicate particularly fast-growing or aggressive disease. Biden’s office said his score was 9, placing his cancer among the most aggressive forms.

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among men in the U.S., with the organization estimating there will be 313,780 additional cases of prostate cancer and 35,770 deaths across the country this year.

The ACS advises all men aged 50 and over, and Black men and those with a family history of prostate cancer aged 45 and over, to “have a conversation with their healthcare provider about the benefits and harms of screening.” The five-year survival rate for prostate cancer that has reached distant-stage is only 38 percent, compared to nearly 100 percent for early diagnoses.

What Happens Next

Medical experts have described Biden’s prostate cancer as hormone-sensitive, which could improve the likelihood of successful management with the current regimen.

Updates: 10/20/25, 7:51 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.