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Wednesday, May 21 2025

Full Issue

Biden's Previous Prostate Screening Was At Age 71; Most Men Stop At 70

Experts say the former president's cancer diagnosis at 82 is not unusual given that current guidelines recommend against screening for men older than 70. Doctors also note that men with advanced prostate cancer could have had normal prostate-specific antigen tests before a sudden spike.

Former president Joe Bidens last known screening for prostate cancer was in 2014, when he was 71 years old and serving as vice president, a spokesperson for Bidens office said on Tuesday. It is not unusual for men over 70 to stop having regular prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests, the standard screening to determine risk of prostate cancer, physicians and experts say. (Bendavid and Diamond, 5/20)

Some Americans say they dont understand how former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. could have only recently learned that he had an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had already spread to his bones. How could the former commander in chief, a man with access to high-quality medical care, not have known earlier that he had such a serious condition? Many prostate cancers are detected using a test called a PSA, and Mr. Bidens last known PSA was in 2014, according to a spokesman, Chris Meagher. Guidelines from professional organizations that advise doctors and public health officials recommend against screening for men over age 70. Mr. Biden is 82. (Kolata, 5/20)

The news of former President Bidens prostate cancer diagnosis is putting a spotlight on his physician, Kevin OConnor, and whether he took adequate measures to monitor Bidens health. Bidens personal office said in a statement Sunday that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer two days prior after he was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms. (Vakil, 5/20)

The cancer diagnosis former President Joe Biden received was difficult stage 4 prostate cancer but has become more and more common in recent years. This trendline, cancer experts said, is not widely known, even among physicians, and points to a need to dispel myths about prostate cancer screening. (Chen, 5/21)

This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
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