Introduction to Prostate Cancer
Former Sen. Bob Casey was on a train bound for Washington, D.C., when he got a call that stopped him in his tracks.
“It was just two words,” the former senator remembers. “It’s cancer.”
Casey, serving his third term in the U.S. Senate, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in late 2022. He was 62 and had no symptoms of disease. The cancer was caught by a routine blood test that revealed elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen.
Former Sen. Bob Casey and wife Terese greet neighborhood resident Molly Kankiewicz while taking a walk in Scranton’s Hill section Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Receiving the Diagnosis
Casey was shaken by the diagnosis, but knew the cancer was manageable and detected early. He had decisions to make and time to make them.
“I can’t imagine hearing those two words, ‘It’s cancer,’ and having it be the kind of cancer which is not manageable,” Casey said in a recent interview. “It hits you really hard, but I also had a general sense that this was more manageable, so it wasn’t as devastating as it would have been if it were some other kind of cancer. But even with that, it still hits you hard.”
Treatment and Recovery
Casey had successful surgery in 2023 and has remained healthy since, an example of advances in testing and treatment that have dramatically improved survival rates for the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in American men. Only lung cancer is more lethal. About one in eight men will be diagnosed over their lifetime with prostate cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.
Former Sen. Bob Casey smiles in the living room of his Scranton home Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Biden’s Diagnosis
Former President Joe Biden was diagnosed last month with aggressive prostate cancer that spread to his bones. Prostate cancers are graded using what’s known as a Gleason score. Scores range from 6 to 10. Biden’s score is 9, suggesting his cancer is among the most aggressive types. It can be treated, but not cured.
Casey said he sent Biden, 82, a message of support, but hasn’t spoken to his old friend and political ally since the diagnosis.
“I reached out just to say, ‘You’re not alone,’ and to tell him that we’re thinking of him,” he said. “I did see him right before he left (the White House) in January. I really haven’t been in touch with him since, but (the diagnosis) is a hell of a thing after all he’s been through.”
Joined by Allentown firefighters and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, President Joe Biden addresses the media Friday, Jan. 12, 2024, at Mack South Fire Station in Allentown. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
Support System
Casey, 65, credits the support and advocacy of Terese Casey, his wife of 40 years and a key partner in his treatment and recovery.
“She jumped right in helping me research it, and we interviewed a group of surgeons,” he said. “Technically, I had three options — just let it go and see what happens; No. 2 was to get radiation; and No. 3 was to have surgery. I chose a prostatectomy, where you just get it out. I was really fortunate. I had a good doctor and got a good result.”
Choosing the Right Treatment
Choosing the right doctor and treatment plan are key not only to survival, but quality of life, said Don Ezrin, a three-time cancer survivor who until recently chaired the Northeast Pennsylvania Prostate Cancer Survivors Support Group. The group no longer meets in person, but maintains a vibrant presence on Facebook, one of many regional pages for cancer survivors o
