President Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis has sparked headlines — but it also highlights a deeper, more troubling truth: millions of men face this disease in silence.
As a cancer doctor, I’ve seen firsthand how prostate cancer continues to be under-discussed, under-recognized, and deeply stigmatized.
This piece explores what Biden’s diagnosis means for him and the many men who never speak of theirs.
When I heard President Biden had prostate cancer, I didn’t flinch. Not because I didn’t care, but because I’ve heard this story a thousand times.
A President, A Diagnosis
Joe Biden is 81.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men in the United States.
It accounts for more than 280,000 new diagnoses and over 34,000 deaths annually.
Roughly one in eight will be diagnosed.
So yes, this diagnosis is common.
And the good news?
When caught early, prostate cancer is one of the most treatable cancers we know.
But President Biden’s is quite concerning.
Here’s what we know: Biden’s prostate cancer had a Gleason score of 9 out of 10 — a marker of highly aggressive disease.
And it has already spread to his bones.
This isn’t a harmless finding.
It is metastatic prostate cancer.
We still don’t know his full treatment course.
But we do know this: metastatic prostate cancer demands attention — and conversation.
The Silent Epidemic
Most prostate cancers are slow-growing.
But not all.
Some are aggressive, life-shortening, and hard to predict.
Still, the real danger isn’t just the biology of the disease. It’s the silence around it.
And the policy.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force currently recommends against routine PSA screening in men over 70.
I understand the reasoning — many prostate cancers won’t shorten life.
But I’ll admit: I’d be surprised if they didn’t continue screening President Biden. If anyone merits more careful watching, it might be the person carrying the nuclear codes.
Still, the real danger isn’t just the biology of the disease. It’s the silence around it.
Men often wait.
Many downplay symptoms.
They tell no one when their urine stream changes, or their intimacy falters, or their father died of it quietly.
They wait until they can’t.
Read the full story “Biden’s Prostate Cancer Diagnosis” with the FREE FRIEND LINK TO MEDIUM.COM → https://medium.com/beingwell/joe-biden-has-prostate-cancer-and-millions-of-men-are-still-dying-in-silence-7632da0dbc56?sk=cb7f7
