Biden completes course of radiation treatment for prostate cancer
Former President Joe Biden, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer in May, completed radiation treatment Monday, his office said.
Biden underwent several weeks of treatment, according to his office.
It was not immediately clear whether Biden, 82, would require treatment or additional measures for his care.
Biden’s daughter, Ashley Biden, posted a video to her Instagram Story of the former president of a University of Pennsylvania medical institution ringing the bell — a tradition for cancer patients marking the completion or reaching of a major milestone in cancer treatment.
A Biden spokesperson told NBC News this month that Biden was undergoing “radiation and hormone treatment.” It was supposed to last five weeks.
Separately, Biden last month underwent skin cancer treatment known as Mohs surgery, which involves cutting away layers of skin to treat a malignant tumor. He was seen in public at the time wearing a bandage on his forehead.
Biden announced in May that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had metastasized to his bones. Experts at the time told NBC News that his case was rare but not unheard of, noting that 8 percent of prostate cancer cases had already metastasized by the time of diagnosis. At this point, oncologists who treat the disease told NBC News that the patient most likely had the disease for several years — although they noted that some people can develop rapidly spreading cancer in some cases.
Biden left the White House in January after suspending a re-election campaign that culminated in his support of his vice president, Kamala Harris. His final months in office sparked speculation about his mental fitness to serve as president. Biden has often defended himself against accusations about his mental acuity and memory.
