What's happened
President Biden, 82, was seen with a forehead scar after recent Mohs surgery for skin cancer. This is his second skin cancer treatment this year, following a prostate cancer diagnosis in March. His health remains a focus amid his presidency.
What's behind the headline?
The repeated skin cancer treatments highlight Biden's ongoing health challenges, which are common among older adults, especially those with significant sun exposure. The use of Mohs surgery, a highly effective treatment with a 99% cure rate for high-risk skin cancers, indicates a proactive approach to managing his health. However, his prostate cancer diagnosis, which has metastasized, underscores the persistent threat of cancer in his health profile. The public focus on his health may influence perceptions of his fitness for office, but his team asserts he remains capable of fulfilling presidential duties. The combination of skin and prostate cancers suggests that Biden's health will continue to be a significant political and personal concern, with potential implications for his presidency and future political plans. The media coverage, emphasizing his scars and recent surgeries, also serves to humanize him while subtly raising questions about his age and stamina, which are central themes in his reelection campaign debates. Overall, Biden's health trajectory will likely remain a key issue in his political narrative, with ongoing medical management being essential to his capacity to serve.
What the papers say
The coverage from NY Post, The Independent, and AP News consistently reports Biden's recent Mohs surgery for skin cancer, confirming the procedure and noting his history of skin and prostate cancers. The NY Post emphasizes the visual evidence of his forehead scar and recent public appearances, while The Independent and AP News provide detailed context about his medical history and the significance of Mohs surgery. There is a consensus across these sources that Biden's health remains a critical concern, with some variation in the emphasis on his age and the implications for his presidency. Notably, The Independent highlights the broader context of his family's cancer history, adding depth to the narrative. Overall, the sources align in portraying Biden's health as a significant ongoing issue, with no conflicting reports.
How we got here
Biden has a history of skin cancer, including basal cell carcinoma removed from his chest in February 2023. He was diagnosed with an aggressive prostate cancer in March 2025, which has spread to his bones. His family has faced multiple cancer diagnoses over the years, including his son Beau's brain tumor and his wife Jill's skin lesions.
Go deeper
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What Does Biden’s Skin Cancer Treatment Mean for You?
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What Is Biden’s Latest Skin Cancer Surgery About?
President Joe Biden, age 82, recently underwent Mohs surgery for skin cancer, drawing attention to his health and its impact on his presidency. With his history of skin and prostate cancers, many are wondering what this means for his health and leadership. Below, we explore the details of Biden’s recent surgery, his overall health, and how these issues influence US politics today.
More on these topics
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Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is an American politician who is the 46th and current president of the United States. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 and represented Delaware in the United States Senate
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Prostate cancer is the uncontrolled growth of cells in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system below the bladder. Abnormal growth of the prostate tissue is usually detected through screening tests, typically blood tests that check for prosta
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Mohs surgery, developed in 1938 by a general surgeon, Frederic E. Mohs, is microscopically controlled surgery used to treat common types of skin cancer.
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Skin cancers are cancers that arise from the skin. They are due to the development of abnormal cells that have the ability to invade or spread to other parts of the body. It occurs when skin cells grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors. The primary
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Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms of cancer include a lump, abnormal bleeding
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Delaware is one of the 50 states of the United States, in the Mid-Atlantic region. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, north by Pennsylvania, and east by New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean.
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Joseph Robinette "Beau" Biden III was an American politician, attorney, and officer in the Army Judge Advocate General's Corps from Wilmington, Delaware. He was the eldest of three children from the marriage of former U.S. Vice President and 2020 Democrat
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Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden is an American educator who served as second lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. She is married to Joe Biden, the 47th vice president of the United States, and the Democratic Party presidential nominee for the 2020 electio