Shortly after former President Joe Biden was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer, news broke that his last screening for the disease was in 2014, according to his office.
“President Biden’s last known PSA was in 2014. Prior to Friday (May 16), President Biden had never been diagnosed with prostate cancer,” the statement from his office read.
His office has not released the reason why he hadn’t had a prostate-specific antigen or PSA blood test in the past decade, but the changes in recommended screening guidelines could be a factor for him and other men around his age.
Here’s Why: Timeline of PSA Recommendations
- In 2008, the United States Preventative Task Force recommended against regular PSA screening for men older than 75, according to the American Cancer Society.
- In 2012, the USPTF recommended against screening for ALL men.
- In 2017, the USPTF reversed that decision recommending men aged 55 to 69 talk to their doctors about the risks and benefits of screening. That means that each man should take his own prostate cancer risks under consideration when deciding if a PSA test is right for him. And for men older than 70 PSA-based screening is not recommended.
PSA Guidance Relating to President Biden
If you do the math, President Biden would have been 69 in 2012, meaning PSA screenings were not being routinely recommended.
He had his last test in 2014, when he was 71, a few years before the USPTF reversed its decision.
Yet when the decision was reversed in 2017, Biden was older than 70 – again, putting him in a category where the test was not routinely recommended.
So, in some senses – Biden – like other men in this age group fell through the cracks in terms of PSA guidelines.
Interestingly, according to the American Cancer Society, research from data up until 2015 shows local-or-early-stage prostate cancer incidences have declined. But prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body – like the cancer President Biden has – have increased.
Current PSA Recommendations
According to the American Cancer Society, men older than 50 who are at average risk for prostate cancer, should begin conversations with their doctors about screening and PSA testing. For men at a higher risk, including African American men and those with a family history, the conversation should start at age 45. And for men who’ve had a first-degree relative diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age, the conversations should start at age 40.
President Biden’s Prostate Cancer
President Biden was diagnosed with cancer after doctors found a small nodule in his prostate. His office said the cancer had metastasized 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 from his office read. “The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”
“Well, the prognosis is good, you know, we’re working on everything, it’s moving along. I feel good. All the folks are optimistic,” Biden told reporters on Memorial Day.
For those with metastatic prostate cancer, treatment goals change from curing the cancer to managing symptoms, slowing the growth and shrinking the tumors.
Prostate Cancer Treatment Miami
The experts at the CyberKnife Center of Miami treat all prostate cancers — from early to metastatic prostate cancers. In fact, we often treat metastatic cancer with great success with fewer treatments than traditional radiation.
CyberKnife Miami offers state-of-the-art radiation treatment known as stereotactic body radiation therapy or SBRT. It’s an excellent treatment option for patients who can’t have surgery, don’t want surgery, failed other treatments or have been told there’s nothing left to do.
Here are the distinct advantages of CyberKnife for metastatic prostate cancer.
- It’s noninvasive.
- There are no risks of infection or long periods of downtime like there is with surgery.
- The CyberKnife radiation beams, which target and destroy the tumor, are exceedingly precise. That means healthy tissue is unharmed.
- Treatments are outpatient and last 30 to 60 minutes.
- Side effects are minimal and may include fatigue and nausea
- Patients can be treated repeatedly with CyberKnife.
CyberKnife Treatment Miami
If you or someone you love is diagnosed with prostate cancer at any stage, contact the experts at CyberKnife Miami for a consultation. We treat patients from across South Florida, the United States and even around the world.
If you would like to find out more about prostate cancer treatment with CyberKnife, call us at 305-279-2900 or go to our prostate cancer website now for more information.