Can we ever eliminate cancer? Joe Biden is the latest famous figure to be diagnosed with the cruel disease — but imaginative new treatments offer hope for the future.
The world wishes an ex-president well
Difficult year: Biden was forced to drop out of the 2024 US presidential election after questions over his health, age and ability to work. Glossary
Donald Trump - An American politician, media personality, and businessman serving as the 47th president of the United States since January 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021.
Joe Biden - An American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025.
Prostate - A small gland that is part of the male reproductive system.
Barack Obama - The Democrat US president between 2008 and 2016.
AI - A computer programme that has been designed to think.
CT scan - A computed tomography scan — a medical imaging technique usually used to make images of inside the body.
Vaccine - A biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, but in its weakest form.
Immune system - The network of cells, organs and proteins that defend the body from infection.
Oncology - The study of cancer and the branch of medicine that aims to treat the disease.
Biopsy - An examination of tissue removed from a person to see if there are signs of disease.
Mutating - Changing. A famous Latin phrase, "mutatis mutandis", meaning "once the necessary changes have been made", is commonly used in law, economics and logic.