Joe Biden health update: What is radiation therapy and how does it treat cancer?

Joe Biden is undergoing a young stage of treatment after he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer in May, a spokesperson for the former president said on Saturday, October 11. "As part of a treatment plan for prostate cancer, President Biden is currently undergoing radiation therapy and hormone treatment," the spokesperson said, according to NBC News.

The radiation treatment could span five weeks. This is a new point in Biden’s care, as he was already taking a pill form of hormone medication.

The 82-year-old former US President underwent a skin cancer treatment called Mohs surgery last month. Biden’s physician wrote in a memo after the procedure that “all cancerous tissue was successfully removed” and that “no further treatment is required.”

Radiation therapy is considered one of the most powerful tools used to treat cancer, besides chemotherapy and surgery. According to the Cleveland Clinic, radiation therapy, also known as radiotherapy, “is a common cancer treatment that uses radiation (usually high-powered X-rays) to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy may be used independently or alongside other treatments, like surgery or chemotherapy.”

A radiation oncologist can recommend radiotherapy tailored to one’s condition and the kind of cancer they are battling.

There are mainly two types of radiation therapy – external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and internal radiation therapy. Both of these destroy a cancer cell’s DNA.

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Cleveland Clinic explains, “External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is the most common type of radiotherapy. With EBRT, a machine directs beams of high-energy radiation toward the tumor. The energy may be X-rays (most common), electrons or protons. Precision is vital with EBRT.”

On the other hand, internal radiation therapy, according to the website, “places radiation inside of your body, close to cancer cells. It treats smaller tumors in your head, neck, breast, cervix, uterus or prostate.”

Biden’s personal office issued a statement about the diagnosis back on May 18. “Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms,” it said. “On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone.”

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

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