Biden’s prostate cancer is ‘hormone-sensitive’ — doctors break down what that means

Biden’s prostate cancer is ‘hormone-sensitive’ — doctors break down what that means

Questions swirl amid former president's diagnosis of ‘aggressive’ form of disease

Joe Biden’s recent diagnosis of "aggressive" prostate cancer has sparked concerns about how far the disease has advanced. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The former president’s prostate cancer has been characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (grade group 5) with "metastasis to the bone." (AP/Evan Vucci)

The backbone of treatment for any metastatic prostate cancer is "androgen deprivation therapy," which is geared toward decreasing the body's level of testosterone. (iStock)

"Typically, when you start the androgen deprivation therapy, testosterone levels will decrease and the PSA levels will decrease along with it, and that's your definitive proof that the cancer is hormone-sensitive," an oncologist said. (iStock)