ISTANBUL

Former US President Joe Biden is receiving radiation and hormone therapy as part of treatment for prostate cancer diagnosed this May, his spokesperson said Saturday.

“As part of a treatment plan for prostate cancer, President Biden is currently undergoing radiation therapy and hormone treatment," the spokesperson said, as reported by NBC news.

The spokesperson said the new phase of Biden’s treatment will last about five weeks and marks a new stage in his care. He had already been taking hormone medication, which he publicly acknowledged earlier this year.

Biden, 82, was diagnosed in May with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer that had spread to his bones, according to his office.

Biden first publicly discussed his diagnosis in May, expressing optimism about his prognosis and saying: “The expectation is we are going to be able to beat this.”

After completing his single term in the presidency, he returned to his home in the state of Delaware, where he is set to turn 83 next month.

In September, he underwent surgery to remove cancerous skin cells.