Donald Trump Jr. has raised questions about a cover-up after former president Joe Biden was diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer.
“What I want to know is how did Dr. Jill Biden miss stage five metastatic cancer or is this yet another cover-up???” Trump Jr. wrote on X.
Trump Jr.’s post suggests Biden’s wife is a medical doctor, but Jill Biden has a doctoral degree in education.
A professor of oncology told Newsweek that Joe Biden would have been tested for prostate cancer while in office and it is likely his cancer developed rapidly.
Why It Matters
Biden’s age and health were dominant concerns among voters during his time as president. The 82-year-old dismissed concerns about his mental acuity, but ultimately dropped his bid for a second term following a disastrous debate performance in June last year. He was replaced as the Democratic nominee by then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost to President Donald Trump.
Questions have been raised about the Biden administration and campaign’s transparency about Biden’s age and cognitive ability. An upcoming book alleges White House aides covered up Biden’s physical and mental decline. However, there is no current indication publicly available that Biden was diagnosed with cancer during his tenure as president.
What To Know
Trump Jr.’s post included a screenshot of a post from Steven Quay, a physician-scientist, that said prostate cancer is the “easiest cancer to diagnose when it first starts” and PSA blood tests shows “the rate of cancer cell growth.”
It takes between five to seven years without treatment before prostate cancer becomes metastatic, Quay wrote, adding that it is “highly likely” that Biden was “carrying a diagnosis of prostate cancer throughout his White House tenure and the American people were uniformed.”
Jonathan Waxman, a professor of oncology at Imperial College London and the founder and president of Prostate Cancer UK, told Newsweek that Biden would have been tested for prostate cancer while in office and it is likely that his cancer “developed rapidly.”
Biden’s office said the former president was diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, with the cancer cells having spread to the bone.
It came after Biden reported urinary symptoms, which led doctors to discover a nodule on his prostate, the statement said.
“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management,” the statement said.
Prostate cancers are graded for aggressiveness using what is known as a Gleason score, which range from 6 to 10. Biden’s office said his score was 9, suggesting his cancer is among the most aggressive.
When prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it often spreads to the bones. Metastasized cancer is much harder to treat than localized cancer because it can be hard for drugs to reach all the tumors and completely root out the disease.
However, when prostate cancers need hormones to grow, as in Biden’s case, they can be susceptible to treatment that deprives the tumors of hormones.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men aside from non-melanoma skin cancer.
While the majority of prostate cancer cases are detected at an earlier stage, some cases can be diagnosed when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
The CDC said 70 percent of prostate cancer cases were diagnosed at a localized stage, meaning the cancer had not spread outside the prostate, between 2017 and 2021. Fourteen percent were found at a regional stage, meaning it had spread to nearby lymph nodes, tissues or organs and 8 percent were found at a distant state, when it had spread to distant parts of the body.
Biden had a skin lesion removed from his chest on February 2023 that was a basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer. In November 2021, he had a polyp removed during a colonoscopy that was a benign, but potentially precancerous lesion.
What People Are Saying
Waxman told Newsweek: “Usually prostate cancer develops very slowly over the years. The President would have been tested for prostate cancer while in office. It is likely that his cancer developed rapidly.”
Waxman added that Biden’s outlook “should be good with survival averaging over six years.”
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis. We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”
Former president Barack Obama wrote on X: “Michelle and I are thinking of the entire Biden family. Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace. We pray for a fast and full recovery.”
Former Vice President Kamala Harris wrote on X: “Doug and I are saddened to learn of President Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis. We are keeping him, Dr. Biden, and their entire family in our hearts and prayers during this time. Joe is a fighter—and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership. We are hopeful for a full and speedy recovery.”
Conservative activist Laura Loomer wrote on X: “Joe Biden has had cancer for a while. He has had it for most of his presidency and the White House physicians have long been suspected of fabricating his medical records. As I reported last year, White House physicians had many late night visits with Biden that went past midnight.”
What’s Next
Biden’s office said he and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.
This articles includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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