Former President Joe Biden has revealed that he has been diagnosed with an ‘aggressive form’ of cancer.

The 82-year-old’s personal office released a statement statement today (May 18).

It read: “Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms.

“On Friday he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone.”

The statement continued: “While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management.

“The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”

Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his office has confirmed (Leigh Vogel/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The 46th president of the United States was elected president on November 7, 2020 – beating President Donald Trump at the polls.

The Democrat went on to finish his first and only term in office on January 20, when his successor, 78-year-old Trump, reclaimed the White House having beaten Biden’s former vice-president Kamala Harris.

Biden ran his own presidential campaign for a second term in the Oval Office, but with just three months left he ultimately pulled out of the race.

His statement addressed to his ‘fellow Americans’ read in part: “Over the past three and a half years, we have made great progress as a Nation.

“Today, America has the strongest economy in the world. We’ve made historic investments in rebuilding our Nation, in lowering prescription drug costs for seniors, and in expanding affordable health care to a record number of Americans.

“We’ve provided critically needed care to a million veterans exposed to toxic substances. Passed the first gun safety law in 30 years. Appointed the first African American woman to the Supreme Court. And passed the most significant climate legislation in the history of the world. America has never been better positioned to lead than we are today.”

The statement continued: “I know none of this could have been done without you, the American people. Together, we overcame a once in a century pandemic and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We’ve protected and preserved our Democracy. And we’ve revitalized and strengthened our alliances around the world.

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.”

Before concluding: “I believe today what I always have: that there is nothing America can’t do – when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United States of America.”

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.

A prostate cancer specialist is raising awareness of seven key symptoms to keep an eye out for amid Joe Biden being diagnosed with an ‘aggressive’ form of the disease.

The former president of the United States‘ personal office released a statement yesterday (May 18) revealing he’s been diagnosed with prostate cancer ‘characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone’.

“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management,” the statement noted. “The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”

And now, a urological surgeon has since weighed in, raising awareness of some of the main symptoms of prostate cancer which might’ve otherwise been easily dismissed.

Consultant Urological Surgeon at Cromwell Hospital, Professor Hashim Ahmed, told Metro there are seven signs to look out for – six out of seven all to do with when it comes to going for a wee.

Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer (Bruce Glikas/WireImage)

Needing to urinate more often

If you’ve found yourself feeling the urge to wee more often, this could be something to keep an eye on.

You could end up having to nip to the loo more often during the day or this could be particularly highlighted if you find yourself waking up in the night to go to the loo.

This urge to wee more could also be a sign you’re not able to fully empty your bladder.

Your bladder never feeling truly empty

If you always feel like you have something in your bladder, it could mean something is blocking the urine flowing through and there is resultantly residual urine left bobbing about.

And symptoms such as how easily you can start and stop urinating are also worth looking out for too.

Are you going to the loo more frequently? (Getty Stock Images)

Difficulty starting urinating

If you’re getting to the loo but finding it hard to actually get the urine flowing so to speak, this could be a potential sign of potential trouble.

Urine can struggle to flow through to the urethra and out if something like an enlarged prostate or tumor is blocking its way.

On the other hand, having difficulty stopping the flow is also something to take note of.

Difficulty stopping

If you find it difficult to stop your flow or even find a little dribble or leak occurs after, it may be time to check in – and no, we don’t mean reaching for your phone to Google your symptoms, but booking in to raise any concerns with a doctor.

And your overall flow of urine can say something about your health too.

Overall pace to flow of urine

If your urine has as weak flow, it could mean something is pressing on your urethra. And the next sign is a pretty important one to keep track of.

If worried, always consult a doctor (Getty Stock Images)

Blood in urine or semen

Spotting blood in your urine or semen can be an early-stage sign of prostate cancer, so no matter if you spotted it just once or multiple times, it’s important to check it out with a doctor.

And the next symptom can rear it’s head particularly during sex.

Erectile dysfunction

If you find yourself struggling to get or maintain an erection or find it painful to ejaculate, alongside ejaculating less semen then you normally would, keep a note and share your findings with a doctor.

Other symptoms listed by Mayo Clinic include blood in the semen, back pain, bone pain, feeling very tired, losing weight ‘without trying’ and ‘weakness in the arms or legs’.

Professor Ahmed reassured many of these symptoms are ‘temporary’ and can also be ’caused by other problems’ but echoed it’s best to go to a doctor to share your concerns if worried.

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.

A woman has recalled being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer after noticing a bizarre symptom while eating out with friends.

While some cancers are more obvious to spot, there are some forms of the disease that can be mistaken for illnesses a lot less serious.

Erica, a navy veteran and single mom, spoke to The Patient Story recently about a cancer diagnosis that came completely out of the blue after not recognising the symptoms straight away.

Recalling one particular moment, Erica said: “I went out for dinner with a friend and I was full instantly. I took a couple of bites and then I was kind of forcing it down and that was usual. Because as I said, I’d been working out and working out heavy, so my appetite was through the roof..”

Erica was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer (YouTube/ThePatientStory)

On top of noticing subtle signs like monthly fatigue, bloating, and occasional sharp pain, Erica went for a hysterectomy – a surgical procedure where the uterus is removed.

Erica explained how a ‘small inner voice’ told her doctors would find something ‘wrong’ and once she had come round, the single mom was told by doctors the surgery hadn’t even been done.

The navy veteran was told she had cancer.

“The doctor there told me what they had found and it was quite a bit of cancer in my belly. There was a question as to where the cancer had originated from,” Erica went on to explain to The Patient Story.

“It took about two weeks that I knew I had cancer but I didn’t know exactly what it was.”

Because the cancer ‘had touched so many organs’, doctors had to ensure they got the diagnosis right.

Erica was diagnosed with appendiceal cancer, a type of cancer that grows from cells that make up the appendix.

Symptoms of such cancer include inflammation or infection of your appendix, aka appendicitis, bloating, increase in waist size, fluid buildup in your abdomen, pain in your abdomen or pelvis, nausea and vomiting, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Erica has gone through a whopping 12 rounds of chemotherapy since an initial diagnosis, while she has seen the cancer come back for a third time after receiving the all-clear on two separate occasions.

While Erica has been through the mill in recent times, she expressed the importance of maintaining a positive outlook on things, explaining she has been saying ‘yes’ to a lot more opportunities.

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.

A ‘healthy and active’ 30-year-old woman was handed a devastating cancer diagnosis after doctors missed one subtle symptom.

Gemma Henly, from Queensland, Australia, was a fitness fanatic, having worked as a personal trainer and an instructor for the best part of six years.

She spent much of her twenties inspiring women on their own personal fitness goals and was loving everything she was doing.

But Gemma’s life was turned upside down following her 30th birthday after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Speaking to the Daily Mail recently, Gemma said: “The thing that I originally went to the GP about was my menstrual cycle.

“I was just bleeding for a couple weeks at a time for three of my cycles. I’m pretty in tune with my body. This was not normal for me.”

Gemma was ‘healthy and active’ before the diagnosis (GoFundMe)

Doctors initially put her symptoms down to a bug, but Gemma knew she had to press for answers and further tests when the bleeding worsened over the next two months.

Gemma decided to visit another GP who sent her for an ultrasound to ‘rule out anything possible’.

“Unfortunately, or fortunately I guess, we found it [cancer] and that started a cascade of more tests,” Gemma added to the Daily Mail.

“I was referred to a gynaecological oncologist who was the surgeon, to explore all avenues as to whether there was any chance we could preserve my fertility.

“There was hope that we could potentially preserve my uterus so even if I couldn’t use my own eggs, I could potentially look at like a donor egg option in the future.”

Sadly, further tests revealed Gemma’s cancer had spread to the uterus, with an operation in March this year seeing Gemma having her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed as part of a total hysterectomy.

Gemma continues to undergo treatment (GoFundMe)

Gemma has now completed two rounds of chemotherapy and is eager to return to the fitness routine despite having a long road to recovery.

Thankfully, the ovarian cancer was found at Stage 1C, which allows for appropriate and hopefully effective treatment to be undertaken.

A GoFundMe has since been set up by one of Gemma’s colleagues to help the Aussie return ‘to doing what she loves’.

The fundraiser states: “Gemma has already undergone surgery to remove the cancer, but her journey isn’t over yet. She will need ongoing treatment to ensure the cancer doesn’t return, and unfortunately, the surgery and the treatment are both physically and financially challenging.

“Gemma has not only been affected by the high costs of treatment but has lost her only source of income by not being able to operate her Personal training business.”

Symptoms of ovarian cancer

Mayo Clinic states symptoms of ovarian cancer may not be noticeable once disease first develops. However, signs to look out for are:

• Abdominal bloating or swelling
• Quickly feeling full when eating
• Weight loss
• Discomfort in the pelvic area
• Fatigue
• Back pain
• Changes in bowel habits
• A frequent need to urinate