SOURCE :- THE AGE NEWS
By Gram Slattery and Nandita Bose
Washington: Former US president Joe Biden had not done a test for prostate cancer for more than a decade before he was diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of the disease last week, a spokesperson said.
The latest comments from the former Democratic president’s camp come amid questions from Republicans and some health professionals about why his cancer was not detected in a PSA test (to measure prostate-specific antigen in the blood) before reaching an advanced stage.
Biden, 82, has faced broader questions about whether he and his allies withheld critical information from the American public about his ability to serve in the White House. A new book, Original Sin, details widespread concerns about Biden’s mental acuity among aides as he pursued re-election last year.
“President Biden’s last known PSA was in 2014,” the Biden spokesperson said. “Prior to Friday, President Biden had never been diagnosed with prostate cancer.”
Some health professionals consulted by Reuters had expressed surprise at the diagnosis, given that most prostate cancers are detected at an earlier stage and that presidents undergo thorough health monitoring.
Joe Biden in January.Credit: AP
Still, others said it was not unusual to discontinue testing for prostate cancer in older patients because the test was less reliable in that age group. Prostate cancer has a much higher survival rate than most other cancers.
In 2012, the US Preventive Services Task Force recommended against PSA-based screening for prostate cancer in men of all ages. It reversed the recommendation in 2017, advising against the screening for men older than 70.
Biden, who ultimately abandoned his re-election bid and left office in January, was in his early 70s at the time of his 2014 screening.
“It is very reasonable to discontinue PSA screening at age 72, regardless of health status, or significantly decrease the frequency of screening,” said Dr Scott Eggener, a urologic cancer specialist and professor of surgery at the University of Chicago.
Biden’s office said he had been diagnosed with “aggressive” prostate cancer that had spread to his bones. Cancers that have spread, or metastasised, are considered stage 4 – the most advanced.
US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance are among the Republicans who have offered well-wishes to Biden, while also raising questions about the timing and nature of his cancer diagnosis.
Trump received a PSA test as part of his latest annual physical exam, according to results released in April.
Reuters
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