Prostate cancer cases have steadily increased by 3% each year since 2014 — and now, former President Joe Biden joins the more than 300,000 people diagnosed in the U.S. this year.
Prostate cancer cases have been on the rise in recent years, increasing 3% annually since 2014 – and now former President Joe Biden is one of the more than 300,000 men to be diagnosed this year.
Biden’s office released the announcement on Sunday, days after news that a „small nodule“ had been found in the former president’s prostate during a routine exam.
„While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management“, his office said. „The president and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.“
Treatment is usually more effective when prostate cancer is hormone-sensitive, as that means the disease will likely respond better to hormone therapy, according to Mayo Clinic.
Hormone therapy is used to block the effects of the hormones that fuel the growth of prostate cancer cells.
„Prostate cancer cells rely on testosterone to help them grow. Cutting off the supply of testosterone may cause cancer cells to die or to grow more slowly“, the above source stated.
In addition to hormone therapy, common treatment options for prostate cancer include chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and radiopharmaceutical treatments.
