Former President Joe Biden Begins Radiation and Hormone Therapy for Prostate Cancer
Former President Joe Biden has begun a course of radiation therapy as part of his prostate cancer treatment, his office confirmed to media outlets. The announcement noted hormone therapy is also part of the plan and that his medical team is overseeing care. The news immediately drew national attention because of his profile and the public interest in how treatment will affect future appearances.
“President Biden is currently receiving radiation and hormone therapy as part of his prostate cancer treatment plan,” the spokesperson said.
In May his office disclosed an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had metastasized to his bones, a development that shifts treatment goals toward controlling spread and preserving function. Bone involvement typically requires systemic approaches and close monitoring with scans and lab work to assess response. He turns 83 in November, and age is a practical factor clinicians weigh when balancing treatment intensity against quality of life.
Radiation therapy can be delivered in multiple ways, from external beam treatments aimed at the prostate or specific bone lesions to more targeted methods that limit exposure to healthy tissue, while hormone therapy—often called androgen deprivation therapy—reduces testosterone that fuels many prostate cancers. In metastatic cases, oncologists commonly combine local and systemic therapies and may layer newer targeted drugs when appropriate to extend disease control. Because hormone suppression affects cardiovascular, metabolic, and bone health, physicians watch for side effects that are more likely or more severe in older patients.
Biden’s team has not published a detailed day-by-day treatment calendar or a long-term prognosis, and Republican leaders say that level of detail matters. From a GOP perspective, predictable, verifiable updates are not partisan theater but a way to prevent rumors and protect public confidence. Republicans argue the public interest in a prominent national figure requires straightforward information that lets voters and organizers plan responsibly.
Both radiation and hormone therapies carry effects that can change energy levels and mobility—common issues include fatigue, urinary or bowel changes, hot flashes, muscle weakness, and mood shifts—so knowing treatment timing helps anticipate limitations. Radiation schedules often require frequent clinic visits over several weeks, while hormone therapy can have lingering systemic impacts that require months of follow-up care. Those practical realities are why a clear timeline matters for anyone tracking public events or engagements.
Several Republican lawmakers have already indicated they will seek briefings and request periodic, authenticated summaries from medical staff rather than relying on partial leaks or unofficial commentary. The aim, as framed by GOP aides, is to keep public discussion rooted in verifiable medical facts so political debate focuses on policy instead of speculation about fitness. That insistence on verifiable information is pitched as routine oversight rather than opportunism.
Disclosure practices for leaders’ health have varied over time, producing confusion in past episodes, and Republicans are pushing for consistent standards so the public is not left guessing. They argue uniform rules would help balance personal privacy with legitimate public need, and would set expectations for how teams communicate prognosis and treatment response. A high-profile case like this, they say, tests whether institutions will provide the clarity voters deserve.
Republican officials say they will monitor briefings closely and expect timely, factual updates as treatment progresses.
