Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with a "aggressive form" of prostate cancer, with a survival rate of 30% to 40%.
The former president's prostate cancer is characterized by a Gleason score of 9, while the fifth-grade group for bone metastasis is in 5, indicating that this is "quite advanced".
"It's the most radical type," Siegel said. "That means it has the highest risk of spreading - obviously he has."
Biden also showed urinary symptoms, another sign of advanced cancer disease. He said prostate cancer usually manifests as asymptomatic at the early stages.
Joe Biden
Dr. Marc Siegel said President Biden's cancer is "very advanced". (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
"this "It was discovered through physical examinations. A lot of the time, we found prostate-specific antigens, increased PSA, and then we went on... I mean, he had to have the best care here. I was a little surprised that it was so advanced."
Siegel said he tested prostate-specific antigen or PSA for every male over 45 years of age. According to Mayo Clinic, the test measures the amount of PSA in the blood, mainly used to screen for prostate cancer.
The new prostate cancer test is better than the PSA option, the study found.
Siegel said that while PSA tests are not always a perfect indicator of prostate cancer, people with increased PSA will automatically get MRI. After MRI, a decision is made whether to perform a biopsy.
Siegel said more than 80% of men have some prostate cancer cells in their bodies.
"It's amazing if they all know in the medical world that this is a cancer in the men you really pay attention to," he said. "...he doesn't seem to have a lot of risk factors besides age, but age is enough, he's 82 years old, which is a big risk factor."
Siegel said doctors may treat Biden with hormone therapy. They can also try to radiate the lesions found on the bones or remove the prostate completely.
More aggressive disease patients are now available for prostate cancer drugs
"Sometimes they decide to do multiple therapies," Siegel said. "They may try to remove the prostate and perform radiation and hormone therapy. It's not uncommon."
There are two types of medications used to treat this type of advanced prostate cancer - Lupron, which can stop the production of testosterone, and Casodex can prevent testosterone from binding. Siegel said the side effects of the drug can make people feel "fatigue and listless".
The PSA test measures how much PSA is in the blood, mainly used to screen for prostate cancer. (iStock)
"this Another thing I focus on is bone pain, because these metastasis to the bone can be painful. ” he said.
If the cancer is still captured while the prostate is implanted, it can be "cured in most cases," Siegel said.
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“"The goal is to get it before it leaves the prostate. When it leaves the prostate, it becomes even more difficult to heal."