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How was Joe Biden’s cancer not caught earlier? The news that the former president is battling an aggressive, stage-4 prostate cancer that has spread to the bone ignited a public debate about why a person with peerless access to medical care was diagnosed at such an advanced stage with a disease that is quite common in men his age. (Abbott and Linskey, 5/19)

Most cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed at an early stage, often with the help of routine screenings involving blood tests or rectal exams. But in around 8% of cases, the cancer has already metastasized — or spread to other organs — by the time it’s diagnosed. At that point, the patient has likely had prostate cancer for several years to a decade, multiple oncologists said.  In Biden’s case, “we definitely would anticipate that he has had prostate cancer for many, many years,” said Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer for the American Cancer Society. (Bendix, 5/19)

An initial wave of bipartisan sympathy for Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis has started to ebb, giving way to suggestions from Donald Trump’s allies that the former president’s inner circle masked his condition while he was in office to create an illusion that he was still up to the job. In a social media post Sunday showing a picture of Biden with the caption, “Politics aside, we wish him a speedy recovery,” the president’s eldest son, Don Trump Jr., wrote, “Agreed 100%.” Come Monday, he posted a darker message: “Everyone was in on the coverup! Who was running the country? We need accountability!” (Nicholas and Korecki, 5/19)

Former President Biden expressed gratitude Monday morning for the outpouring of support following the news of his prostate cancer diagnosis over the weekend. “Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places,” Biden, 82, wrote Monday morning in a post on the social platform X, along with a photo of him, former first lady Jill Biden and their cat, Willow. “Thank you for lifting us up with love and support.” (Crisp, 5/19)

Former president Joe Biden’s newly diagnosed prostate cancer, an aggressive form that has spread to his bones, has renewed the debate about who should receive annual screenings for signs of the disease. Prostate cancer, the second most common cause of cancer deaths for men, kills 35,000 a year. ... His medical records as president do not indicate whether his blood tests included screening for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which, when elevated, can indicate a higher risk of prostate cancer. (Eunjung Cha and Achenbach, 5/19)

In other cancer research —

While the overall numbers are still relatively low, colorectal cancer will become the leading cause of cancer-related deaths for adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s by 2030. Get concise answers to your questions. New evidence suggests the reason may trace back to early childhood. In a study recently published in Nature, scientists unveiled a link between the rise in young colorectal cancers and a toxin called colibactin. For years, we’ve known that colibactin, produced by certain strains of bacteria like E. coli, can mutate our DNA and potentially cause colorectal cancer. (Pasricha, 5/19)

A new study by Mass General Brigham researchers provides a glimmer of hope for patients with glioblastoma, the most common and deadly form of brain cancer in adults. The researchers found that glioblastoma patients who received a common anti-seizure and pain drug — gabapentin — ended up living longer. (Sobey, 5/19)

Pfizer will pay $1.25 billion upfront to license an experimental cancer drug out of China, in a deal that underscores multinational drugmakers’ growing enthusiasm for Chinese biotech innovation. The deal grants Pfizer rights to develop and commercialize a drug from Shenyang-based 3SBio Inc. currently in clinical testing for multiple tumor types, according to a press release. In addition to the upfront payment — which sets a new record for China licensing deals — 3SBio is eligible for up to $4.8 billion in downstream fees if the drug hits all milestones. (Tong and Cha, 5/20)