A small nodule was found in former President Joe Biden’s prostate during an exam, a spokesperson told news outlets on May 13.
“In a routine physical exam, a small nodule was found in the prostate, which necessitated further evaluation,” the Biden spokesperson said.
It’s not clear whether the additional evaluation has already taken place and, if it has, what it showed.
A nodule could indicate the presence of prostate cancer.
Out of every 100 men in America, about 13 will suffer from prostate cancer during their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Early treatment can eliminate the cancer, which is fatal in a minority of cases.
The most common risk factor is age. Biden is 82.
Biden left office in January after a single term. He initially launched a reelection bid, but later dropped out under pressure from some fellow Democrats due to his advanced age. President Donald Trump, 78, beat former Vice President Kamala Harris, 60, in the 2024 election.
Dr. Kevin O‘Connor, Biden’s physician, reported in 2023 that Biden had a cancerous lesion removed from his chest. The area around the biopsy site was treated, O’Connor said, and no further treatment was required.
“The site of the biopsy has healed nicely and the President will continue dermatologic surveillance as part of his ongoing comprehensive healthcare,” he wrote at the time.
O'Connor also said in 2019 that Biden had a polyp removed from his colon, describing the polyp as “potentially pre-cancerous.”
One of Biden’s sons, Beau, died in 2015 from brain cancer.
Biden “remains fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency, to include those as Chief Executive, Head of State and Commander in Chief,” O'Connor wrote in a summary of the exam.
“I get it,” Biden said. “I understand the concern. I really do. But the point of the matter is that I would offer specific evidence, if we had time, [of] exactly what I got done when I supposedly lost my cognitive capability.”
