NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that he was “concerned” by the news that former US President Joe Biden had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. “Deeply concerned to hear about Joe Biden health,” PM Modi said in a post on X.“Extend our best wishes to him for a quick and full recovery. Our thoughts are with Dr Jill Biden and the family,” PM Modi added. PM Modi’s statement comes after Joe Biden’s office announced that the 82-year-old has been diagnosed with an “aggressive form of prostate cancer” that has spread to his bones. He is currently discussing treatment options with his family.According to the statement, the diagnosis followed the discovery of a prostate nodule after Biden experienced worsening urinary symptoms. Tests confirmed a high-grade cancer with a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5), indicating that it had metastasised to the bone.“Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms. On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterised by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone. 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, adding, “The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”Prostate cancer is graded for aggressiveness using the Gleason score, which ranges from 6 to 10. Cancers with scores of 8, 9, or 10 tend to behave more aggressively, as per a report by the news agency Associated Press. Former US President Joe Biden’s score was 9, indicating a highly aggressive form of the disease, according to his office.When prostate cancer spreads beyond the prostate, it often moves to the bones. Treating metastatic cancer is more difficult than localized cancer because it is harder for medication to reach all tumor sites and eliminate the disease entirely.In Biden’s case, the cancer is hormone-sensitive, which means it may respond to treatments that block the hormones helping the cancer grow.
