Gleason score

Former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, his office announced. The cancer had metastasized to the bone.

• The press release noted a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) and metastasis to the bone.
• The Gleason score is a grading system used to assess the aggressiveness of prostate cancer based on the appearance of cancer cells under a microscope.
• It ranges from 6 to 10, with higher scores indicating more aggressive cancer. A score of 9 is among the highest, signifying a highly aggressive form.
• A Gleason score of 9 typically combines two patterns, such as 4+5 or 5+4, where the first number represents the most common cell pattern and the second the secondary pattern.
• Pattern 5 indicates the most abnormal, least differentiated cells, suggesting rapid cancer growth.

(Source: HT)