WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) – Former U.S. President Joe Biden had not acquired a take a look at for prostate most cancers, referred to as a PSA, for greater than a decade earlier than he was identified with a complicated type of the illness final week, a spokesperson stated on Tuesday.
The newest feedback from the previous Democratic president’s camp come amid questions from Republicans and a few well being professionals about why his most cancers was not caught earlier than reaching a complicated stage.
Biden, 82, has additionally confronted broader questions on whether or not he and his allies withheld essential data from the American public about his means to serve within the White House. A brand new e-book, “Original Sin,” particulars widespread considerations about Biden’s psychological acuity amongst aides as he pursued reelection final 12 months.
“President Biden’s last known PSA was in 2014,” the Biden spokesperson stated on Tuesday. “Prior to Friday, President Biden had never been diagnosed with prostate cancer.”
A PSA take a look at, or prostate-specific antigen take a look at, is a blood take a look at that’s used to display screen for prostate most cancers.
Some well being professionals consulted by Reuters had expressed shock on the prognosis given that almost all prostate cancers are detected at an earlier stage and that presidents bear thorough well being monitoring.
Still, others stated it’s not uncommon to discontinue testing for prostate most cancers in older sufferers as a result of the take a look at is much less dependable in that age group. Prostate most cancers has a a lot greater survival charge than most different cancers.
In 2012, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force really useful in opposition to PSA-based screening for prostate most cancers in males of all ages. The job power reversed the advice in 2017, advising in opposition to the screening for males older than 70.
Biden, who in the end deserted his reelection bid and left workplace in January, was in his early 70s on 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,” stated Dr. Scott Eggener, a urologic most cancers specialist and professor of surgical procedure on the University of Chicago.
Biden’s workplace stated he had been identified on Friday with “aggressive” prostate most cancers that had unfold to his bones. Cancers which have unfold, or metastasized, are thought-about stage 4, essentially the most superior.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance are among the many Republicans who’ve supplied well-wishes to Biden whereas additionally elevating questions concerning the timing and nature of his most cancers prognosis.
Trump acquired a PSA take a look at as a part of his newest annual bodily examination, in keeping with outcomes launched in April.
(Reporting by Gram Slattery and Nandita Bose in Washington Additional reporting by Nancy Lapid in Phoenix Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Rod Nickel)
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