Things to know about Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis

Former President Joe Biden s office explained Sunday that he has been diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer and is reviewing recovery options with his doctors Biden was having increasing urinary effects and was seen last week by doctors who unveiled a prostate nodule On Friday he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and the cancer cells have spread to the bone his office disclosed in a report When caught early prostate cancer is highly survivable but it is also the second-leading cause of cancer death in men About one in eight men will be diagnosed over their lifetime with prostate cancer according to the American Cancer Society Here are particular things to know about prostate cancer that has spread What is the prostate gland The prostate is part of the reproductive system in men It makes fluid for semen It s located below the bladder and it wraps around the urethra the tube that carries urine and semen out through the penis How serious is Biden s cancer Biden s cancer has spread to the bone his office explained That makes it more serious than localized or early-stage prostate cancer Outcomes have improved in newest decades and patients can expect to live with metastatic prostate cancer for four or five years noted Dr Matthew Smith of Massachusetts General Brigham Cancer Center It s very treatable but not curable Smith revealed What are the healing options Prostate cancer can be treated with drugs that lower levels of hormones in the body or stop them from getting into prostate cancer cells The drugs can slow down the advancement of cancer cells Greater part men in this situation would be treated with drugs and would not be advised to have either surgery or radiation therapy Smith announced What is a Gleason points Prostate cancers are graded for aggressiveness using what s known as a Gleason amount The scores range from to with and prostate cancers behaving more aggressively Biden s office disclosed his amount was suggesting his cancer is among the the majority aggressive The Associated Press Robustness and Science Department receives backing from the Howard Hughes Diagnostic Institute s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation The AP is solely responsible for all content Source