Former President Joe Biden diagnosed with prostate cancer
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Former President Joe Biden has recently been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones.
Dr. Ravi Patel with the Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center joined 17 News at Sunrise to discuss the diagnosis of the former president, saying many tests can be done to prolong Biden's life.
According to Patel, the PSA test should be taken at the age of 45. If your family has a history of cancer, it is best to take the PSA test earlier.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, such as eating less fast food, more fruits and vegetables and reducing alcohol intake is also a great way to lessen cancer diagnosis or other health issues.
For more information, watch the full segment in the video player above.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
a day ago
- Forbes
How A Brain Bleed Decades Ago May Have Affected The Former President
TOPSHOT - US President Joe Biden looks on as he participates in the first presidential debate of the ... More 2024 elections with former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at CNN's studios in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 27, 2024. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Over the past month or so, the media on both sides of the aisle have been filled with reports of concern about President Biden's cognitive decline while in office. This supports the observations of millions of Americans who watched the presidential debate last year. Several tell-all books have also been published pointing out episodes of decreased mental acuity—especially during the last two years of his administration. Several political leaders have been quoted as to the president's declining mental condition the last two years of his term. Many have volunteered episodes of forgetting names of key administration officials. Reports have also stated that the president may have forgotten several executive orders dealing with the environment that he had signed weeks earlier. The key event that may explain much of the cognitive issues being may have been a life- threatening event that occurred in the 1980's, when, then-senator Biden, had emergent brain surgery on a leaking brain aneurysm in February, 1988 repaired by Dr. Eugene George and Dr. Neal Kassell. The leaking brain aneurysm led to a subarachnoid hemorrhage, or bleeding in the space between your brain and a thin membrane that covers and protects it. A CT brain scan reveals a subarachnoid hemorrhage with clear signs of bleeding. getty In May of 1988, President Biden returned to the operating room to have a second smaller aneurysm managed by the same surgical team. Both were 'open procedures' where a clip was placed to manage the aneurysm. However, in the modern era of neurosurgery, brain aneurysms are preferentially managed (when possible) with less invasive procedures commonly referred to as endovascular procedures where coils are placed to prevent blood flow into an aneurysm by threading a thin catheter through an artery in the wrist or groin without the need to open the skull and dissect and potentially compromise brain tissue. There are currently no long-term studies on cognitive dysfunction related to traditional 'open procedures' compared to minimally invasive approaches known such as endovascular procedures. Endovascular coiling of aneurysm. Aneurysm treatment. Endovascular therapy. Vector poster getty Known complications related to leaking aneurysms (weakened or 'ballooning of blood vessels) also include spasm of small blood vessels in the brain. Such spasm of small blood vessels in the brain can also result in cognitive issues related to repairing and stabilizing such blood vessel abnormalities, whether by traditional opening of the skull (craniotomy) or even novel endovascular neurosurgical approaches. However, the risk of complications is generally known to be higher after a traditional or 'open-type' procedure which involves opening the skull in an invasive manner. What's clear is that the President of the United States is also the most observed individual on the planet and that changes in mental sharpness can be observed and reported by thousands of outlets in comparison to a similar patient who might be enjoying retirement. Cognitive dysfunction is a common complication of a brain bleed (such as a subarachnoid hemorrhage), which occurs when an aneurysm leaks or ruptures. This affects most people to some degree. Cognitive dysfunction can take a number of forms, such as problems with retrieval of memories prior to—but also after the bleeding occurrence. Equally concerning are issues remembering new information or facts. Brain damage associated with leaking or ruptured aneurysms may, in some cases, increase your risk of developing dementia. Research has also implicated surgery and the type of anesthesia utilized. Many studies have reported an association between multiple general anesthetics and dementia; this association remains controversial . Contemporary reports from the late 1980's do report some changes in then-Senator Biden. Alzheimer's disease is the most common dementia , followed by vascular dementia. Vascular and Alzheimer's dementia lead to impairment in number of executive functions including word-finding difficulties, deficits in reading comprehension, confusion and impaired focus and attention. The end result are alterations in brain protein structures, the result of the abnormal processing and organization of normal proteins in the brain. Vascular dementia is primarily caused by cerebrovascular disease due to atherosclerosis leading to irregular or abnormal blood flow to critical brain structures. There is also a large amount of research supporting the risks of developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease from traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) from playing football, soccer, lacrosse, wrestling, boxing and other contact sports. According to the Alzheimer's Association, research has provided a link between moderate to severe TBIs and a greater risk of developing some form of dementia years later. The symptoms of vascular dementia depend on the location and amount of brain tissue involved. They may appear suddenly after the acute event or slowly manifest over time. Symptoms of Dementia: Increased trouble doing normal daily activities because of problems with focus, communication or inability to follow directions. Memory problems: short-or long-term memory can be affected. Confusion which can get worse at night (so called sundowning syndrome) Personality changes. Mood changes such as depression or irritability. Stride changes when walking too fast of shuffling steps. Problems with movement, balance or both. Diagnosing dementia or Alzheimer's in any patient begins with evaluation by a skilled neurologist, along with specific blood biomarkers, specialized MRI scans, along with cognitive testing known as the The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Alzheimer's Disease is characterized by the presence of beta-amyloid , an abnormal substance which form sticky plaques on the brain which may result in death of brain cells. Testing for the presence of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain via specific blood biomarkers and MRI scans is critical in determining the extent of functional impairment. Individuals reviewing the last few years of President Biden's term might reflect on some of the events detailed in personal accounts made public in Jake Tapper's new book, Original Sin , that may serve as insight to stratify risk of cognitive impairment in older persons with previous neurologic events, even if they occurred many decades in the past. Dr. Peter J. Papakadakos , Professor of Anesthesiology and Director of Critical Care at University of Rochester Medical Center, contributed to this article.
American Press
2 days ago
- American Press
Senate Republicans hold hearing on Biden's mental fitness as Democrats boycott
President Joe Biden speaks to a crowd gathered at the Lake Charles Civic Center with the I-10 Bridge in the background during his May 6 visit to Lake Charles. (American Press Archives) Nearly six months after Joe Biden left the White House, Senate Republicans are still scrutinizing his presidency, kicking off the first in what's expected to be a series of congressional hearings this year on his mental fitness in office. Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee brought in three witnesses Wednesday — none of whom served in Biden's administration — to scrutinize his time in office, arguing that Biden, his staff and the media must be held accountable. Democrats boycotted the hearing and criticized Republicans for 'arm chair diagnosing' Biden when the committee could be looking into serious matters. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who co-chaired the hearing, said that they will aim to 'shine a light on exactly what went on in the White House during Biden's presidency.' 'We simply cannot ignore what transpired because President Biden is no longer in office,' Cornyn said. A spokesperson for Biden declined to comment on the hearing. It was the first in what could be several hearings about Biden in the coming months. Over in the House, the Oversight Committee has subpoenaed several of Biden's former staff members, along with his White House doctor, ordering him to testify at a June 27 hearing 'as part of the investigation into the cover-up of President Joe Biden's cognitive decline.' Questions about Biden's age and fitness erupted last summer after his disastrous performance in a debate against Donald Trump, which ultimately led to his withdrawal from the race.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
US supreme court upholds Tennessee ban on youth gender-affirming care
A Tennessee state law banning gender-affirming care for minors can stand, the US supreme court has ruled, a devastating loss for trans rights supporters in a case that could set a precedent for dozens of other lawsuits involving the rights of transgender children. The case, United States v Skrmetti, was filed last year by three families of trans children and a provider of gender-affirming care. In oral arguments, the plaintiffs – as well as the US government, then helmed by Joe Biden – argued that Tennessee's law constituted sex-based discrimination and thus violated the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment. Under Tennessee's law, someone assigned female at birth could not be prescribed testosterone, but someone assigned male at birth could receive those drugs. Tennessee, meanwhile, has argued that the ban is necessary to protect children from what it termed 'experimental' medical treatment. During arguments, the conservative justices seemed sympathetic to that concern, although every major medical and mental health organization in the US has found that gender-affirming care can be evidence-based and medically necessary. These groups also oppose political bans on such care. All six of the supreme court's conservative justices joined in at least part of the decision to uphold the law, although several also wrote their own concurring opinions. In his majority decision, Chief Justice John Roberts emphasized that the ruling primarily rested on the justices' finding that the law did not violate the equal protection clause, rather than on an ideological opposition to trans rights. 'This case carries with it the weight of fierce scientific and policy debates about the safety, efficacy and propriety of medical treatments in an evolving field. The voices in these debates raise sincere concerns; the implications for all are profound,' Roberts wrote. He added: 'We leave questions regarding its policy to the people, their elected representatives, and the democratic process.' In recent years, the question of transgender children and their rights has consumed an outsized amount of rightwing political discourse. Since 2021, 26 states have passed bans on gender-affirming care for minors, affecting nearly 40% of trans youth in the US. Twenty-six states have also outlawed trans kids from playing on sports teams that correspond with their gender identity. Many of these restrictions have been paused by court challenges, but the supreme court's decision could have vast implications for those lawsuits' futures. A study by the Trevor Project, a mental health non-profit that aims to help LGBTQ+ kids, found that anti-trans laws are linked to a 72% increase of suicide attempts among trans and nonbinary youth. Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented from the majority opinion, alongside Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Elena Kagan. Because the law discriminates on the basis of sex, Sotomayor argued in her dissent, it should face higher legal scrutiny than the majority decided to give it. 'Male (but not female) adolescents can receive medicines that help them look like boys, and female (but not male) adolescents can receive medicines that help them look like girls,' Sotomayor wrote. 'By retreating from meaningful judicial review exactly where it matters most, the Court abandons transgender children and their families to political whims. In sadness, I dissent.'
