the Revelation and initial Reactions

The announcement of former President Biden’s advanced prostate cancer diagnosis has ignited a flurry of questions and discussions within the oncology community and political circles. The news has prompted experts to debate the likely progression of the disease and has resurfaced concerns regarding his decision to run for reelection last year.

According to Biden’s private office, the diagnosis, revealed on a Sunday afternoon, indicated an aggressive form of cancer that had already spread to his bones. This discovery followed urinary symptoms that led to the identification of a nodule on his prostate.

Unanswered Questions About Screening

A key point of contention revolves around whether Biden, now 82, underwent regular prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing during his presidency. It remains unclear if these tests, if conducted, showed elevated risk levels while he was in office or campaigning for reelection.

However, annual physicals for sitting presidents, especially those of Biden’s age, are generally more thorough than those for private citizens. The absence of PSA testing could have resulted in a missed chance to detect the disease’s progression.

A letter from Biden’s White House physician from February of last year made no mention of PSA testing. In contrast, the most recent letter detailing the results of Trump’s latest physical, references a normal measurement. biden’s current aides have not yet responded to requests for further details on his diagnostic testing history.

Political Fallout and Scrutiny

Biden’s diagnosis arrives at a sensitive time, amidst growing scrutiny over his decision to seek a second term.Critics argue that this decision may have cost the Democratic Party the White House. After a devastating debate performance with Donald Trump, biden dropped out of the race, leaving Vice President Kamala Harris with limited time to mount her own campaign.

A forthcoming book,”Original Sin,” by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex thompson, reportedly details efforts by Biden’s aides to conceal the effects of his aging from the public. The cancer diagnosis has only intensified questions about the clarity of biden and his team regarding his health.

David Axelrod, a former senior advisor to President Obama, noted, I think those conversations are going to happen.

Trump’s Response and Broader Concerns

President Trump addressed Biden’s diagnosis during an Oval Office event, calling it a very, very sad situation and expressing that he felt badly about it.

However, Trump also questioned why the cancer wasn’t detected and disclosed earlier, linking the situation to his long-standing concerns about Biden’s mental fitness for office.

Expert Opinions on the diagnosis

Despite the concerns, experts suggest that Biden’s diagnosis, based on available data, is not entirely unusual for men of his age. Some specialists believe the cancer could have emerged and spread relatively quickly since his last physical in the White House. Approximately 10% of newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients are found to have an advanced form of the disease that has metastasized.

Dr. Mark Litwin, chair of UCLA urology, explained, So it is likely that this tumor began more recently. He added that while he believes Biden was likely screened for elevated PSA levels, it’s possible that his cancer did not produce elevated PSA levels or that it grew and metastasized rapidly.

litwin further stated, The fact that he has metastatic disease at diagnosis, to me, as an expert in the area and as a clinician taking care of guys with prostate cancer all the time, just says that he is unfortunate.

Experts from USC, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Cedars-Sinai, and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute echoed similar sentiments, suggesting that discussions about PSA testing would have been standard, but that discontinuing testing due to biden’s age would also be within medical best practices.

dr. Howard Sandler, chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at Cedars-sinai, outlined three potential scenarios:

• A decision was made to not screen any longer, which would be well within the standard of care.
• PSA levels were tested and slightly elevated, but not investigated further due to Biden’s age.
• PSA levels were normal,but an aggressive form of prostate cancer developed that doesn’t produce much PSA.

Differing Views on the Cancer’s Timeline

Zeke Emanuel, an oncologist at the University of Pennsylvania and former health policy official in the Biden management, suggested that Biden likely had cancer for more than several years, possibly since the start of his presidency in 2021.

However, Dr.Litwin countered that while many men in their 70s and 80s have some form of prostate cancer, the aggressive form that has metastasized likely developed more recently.

Vance’s Concerns and Trump’s Health History

Vice President JD Vance expressed concerns that Biden’s diagnosis underscored existing questions about his health during his presidency, stating, Whether the right time to have this conversation is now or in the future, we really do need to be honest about whether the former president was capable of doing the job. I don’t think that he was in good enough health. In some ways, I blame him less than I blame the people around him.

Trump’s medical team has also faced scrutiny regarding transparency. During his COVID-19 diagnosis, his condition was reportedly more severe than initially acknowledged. His aides often use superlatives to describe his health, with his White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, recently referring to him as perfect.

Biden’s Response

In his first public remarks since the diagnosis, Biden posted on social media, Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support.