Joe Biden shares health update after prostate cancer diagnosis while issuing warning to others

Former President Joe Biden shared an update on his battle with prostate cancer Tuesday, revealing that radiation treatment he underwent last fall "worked as intended" while urging American men not to delay conversations with their doctors about cancer screening.

Biden, 83, issued the update in a lengthy social media post marking Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, saying the occasion was more personal for him following his diagnosis last year.

"The radiation treatment from last fall worked as intended, and I continue to do the things I care about, like finishing my memoir," Biden wrote.

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He also thanked the doctors, nurses and other medical professionals who have treated him, saying their "skill, dedication, and compassion mean so much."

Biden used much of the message to urge men to discuss prostate cancer screening with their doctors, pointing to the dramatically higher survival rate when the disease is detected early.

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"Talk to your doctors. Ask the hard questions. Do it for yourself, and do it for the people who love you," Biden wrote.

Biden said men at average risk should begin discussing prostate cancer screening with their doctors around age 50, while Black men and those with a family history should begin those conversations earlier.

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The American Cancer Society recommends discussing screening at age 50 for average-risk men, age 45 for Black men and certain men with a family history, and age 40 for some men at even higher risk.

Biden’s office announced in May 2025 that the former president had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had metastasized to his bones.

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The diagnosis came after Biden experienced increasing urinary symptoms and doctors discovered a prostate nodule. His office said at the time that the cancer had a Gleason score of 9, Grade Group 5, but was hormone-sensitive, allowing for effective management.

Biden later underwent radiation therapy and completed that course of treatment last fall.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Biden’s office for additional comment on his current health, treatment and prognosis.

Biden closed Tuesday's message by thanking those who have continued to pray for him and his family.

"It’s my hope and prayer that by sharing our experience and being part of this important conversation, we can help save lives," he wrote. "And no matter what, keep the faith. God bless you."

Fox News Digital's Stepheny Price and Robert McGreevy contributed to this reporting.

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Drug developed for lung disease may slow biological aging in surprising ‘bonus’

A drug being developed to treat a serious lung disease may also help to slow the aging process, researchers say.

In a small clinical study, patients who took rentosertib – developed by Insilico Medicine in Massachusetts – showed changes in blood proteins that made them appear biologically younger.

Several tests estimated that after treatment, the patients were biologically about three to four years younger.

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"There is a promising trend in age reversal in addition to treating the disease, and it came as a bonus for disease treatment," first author Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, founder and co-CEO of Insilico Medicine, told Fox News Digital.

"It basically means that you are predicted to be younger using a validated set of aging clocks. We don’t know what that means yet."

The results were published in Nature Biotechnology and presented Monday at the Nature conference at Sorbonne University in Paris.

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The researchers caution, however, that this does not yet prove the drug can actually reverse aging or help people live longer.

"It’s early days," Zhavoronkov noted. "The drug is still investigational."

Rentosertib is an experimental drug, discovered with the help of artificial intelligence, that is being developed to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a serious disease that causes scarring in the lungs.

In an unexpected outcome, the drug was found to change patterns of proteins in the blood in ways that made patients appear an average of three to four years younger, in one case up to six years.

Six different aging tests showed the same general pattern, with patients who took rentosertib "scoring" biologically younger than those who received a placebo.

The strongest effect was seen after four weeks in patients taking 30 mg of the drug twice a day.

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When researchers compared the results with data from more than 55,000 people in the UK Biobank, they found that the drug changed several blood proteins in the opposite direction from what is normally seen with aging.

The researchers also found signs that the drug may affect aging at the cellular level, as it changed processes involved in how cells function and respond to damage.

Zhavoronkov said the company's approach uses AI to search for what he calls "molecular criminals" — biological targets that may contribute to both aging and disease.

The study – which was published in Nature Biotechnology – involved researchers from Insilico Medicine as well as Harvard Medical School, Stanford University, the Broad Institute, RWTH Aachen University, Peking University and Westlake University.

Zhavoronkov stressed that the findings are preliminary. "This is a pilot," he said. "It is early [and] exploratory."

The study had some limitations, including the small sample size – just 42 patients were analyzed over a 12-week period.

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The participants all had IPF, which can change many of the same proteins researchers use to measure biological aging. This means it’s possible that the improvements in the participants’ lung disease was related to the changes in blood proteins.

The findings don’t prove that the drug actually slows aging, keeps people healthier longer or extends their lives, the researchers acknowledged.

The results were based only on changes in proteins in their blood, and do not yet support the use of rentosertib as an anti-aging treatment.

The risks and side effects associated with rentosertib were found to be "manageable," according to Dr. Carol Ann Satler, senior vice president of clinical development for Insilico Medicine.

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The most common potential side effects included mild diarrhea, slightly lower potassium levels in the blood and temporary increases in liver enzymes.

"Once you stop the drug, essentially, they return to normal," Satler told Fox News Digital.

In the next trial, the doctor said, "We'll be looking to adjust the doses of the drug based on the side effect profile so that people can stay on it longer."

Rentosertib has now progressed into a year-long phase 3 study of more than 300 patients in China, according to Insilico.

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Larger and longer trials – including healthy older adults and populations without IPF – are needed to determine whether the drug truly has anti-aging effects and whether they could lead to better health.

While more research lies ahead, Zhavoronkov said the findings have given him more confidence to continue pursuing drugs that could target both age-related diseases and aging itself.

"Everybody agrees that living longer should be a fundamental human right for everyone," he said.

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105-year-old credits ‘the Good Lord’ for her long life: ‘Every day is a blessing’

A Texas woman who just turned 105 attributes her long life to "the good Lord." 

While Blynda Vidock's faith may have played an important role in her longevity, the Baytown resident has also followed many of the habits that experts say can contribute to a longer, healthier life.

"The good Lord put me here for so many years, and it’s His life through me," she told FOX 26 Houston at her recent birthday celebration. "But I’ve always been very athletic, played tennis, swam all my life and ate good food."

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Vidock joked that she preaches to her children, grandchildren and "great-grands" to eat healthier, but said, "They still eat junk food!"

"We live faster nowadays," she said. "We used to have time to sit down and have a meal together."

Vidock was born in 1921 and grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida. While working for $15 a week at a bank in West Palm Beach, she crossed paths with big-name movie stars Clark Gable and Fred Astaire, and also recalled encountering a young John F. Kennedy.

She met Coast Guardsman Charles "Chuck" Vidock while volunteering with the USO during World War II. The two married and moved to Texas in 1946 and spent decades traveling the world together.

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Vidock is "completely sharp, independent and full of stories from a century of living," according to the report.

A video from her birthday party shows the centenarian walking around and chatting animatedly with the many friends and family members who gathered to honor her.

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"It’s wonderful to have you people here, and I don’t know if I’m supposed to dance or sing or get up on the table," she said. "I think I've been made queen for a day, and I've got my 15 minutes of fame, so you better enjoy it because it won't come again."

Every morning when she wakes up, Vidock said she wonders, "‘This is another day, Lord, why am I here?’" adding, "Every day is a blessing!"

She said "the saddest part about getting old" is watching people lose their mental sharpness, and credits "the good Lord" with allowing her to keep hers.

Vidock said a few simple habits have helped her live so long.

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"Living like you know you’re supposed to live, being kind to people, and everything in moderation helped, and I got blessed with good genes, but then I took care of my body," she said.

Dr. Annu Navani, chief medical officer at Le Reve Wellness in San Jose, California, recently told Fox News Digital that longevity medicine is more about adding life to years than adding years to life.

Rather than splurging on costly biohacks, procedures or supplements, Navani recommends focusing on simple daily practices that can enhance quality of life.

Getting high-quality sleep — about seven hours a night for the average person — is necessary for people to perform optimally and has been linked to a healthier lifespan, the expert said.

Managing stress is another key factor in healthy aging, according to Navani. Regular physical activity and social interaction — two other factors linked to longevity — can also help people keep stress in check, as can regular meditation.

Eating a nutritious diet that includes a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, protein and dairy, while limiting added sugars and ultraprocessed foods, is another important component of healthy aging.

Longevity experts David Cravit and Larry Wolf, authors of "The SuperAging Workbook," previously told Fox News Digital that maintaining a positive attitude is the No. 1 factor linked to living a longer life.

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"People with a positive attitude outlive people with a negative attitude because it reduces stress, which, in turn, reduces inflammation, and inflammation is the cause of most age-related diseases," Cravit said.

The authors also recommended setting and working toward new goals, building strong relationships and maintaining a sense of independence as people age.

Melissa Rudy and Angelica Stabile of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.

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Dangerous mosquito-borne virus spreads in one state as officials warn of rising cases

Florida mosquito-control agencies are stepping up surveillance, inspections and spraying, as officials expect the number of locally acquired dengue fever cases in Tampa Bay and across the state to rise in the coming weeks.

As of Sept. 1, the number of dengue fever cases originating in Florida this year had climbed to 33 in Tampa Bay and 41 statewide. Cases are predicted to increase, Fox 13 Tampa Bay reported.

Locally acquired cases mean people contracted the illness where they live rather than while traveling abroad.

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The Florida Mosquito Control Association (FMCA) reported 30 confirmed cases in Hillsborough County, seven in Miami-Dade County, three in Pinellas County and one in Palm Beach County.

Hillsborough and Pinellas counties are under mosquito-borne illness alerts issued by the Florida Department of Health.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral illness that can cause fever, severe aches, nausea, rash and, in rare cases, life-threatening complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The virus is most prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions, including Southeast Asia, the Western Pacific islands, Latin America and Africa. Though less common in the continental U.S., locally acquired cases have been recorded in Florida, California and Texas.

Hawaii has recorded past outbreaks, and the virus is common in the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa.

The CDC reported in May that 2024 was a record year for dengue in the U.S.

A total of 3,798 cases were reported from U.S. states and the District of Columbia, a 359% increase over the annual average for 2010 through 2023. About 97% of those cases were travel-associated, and roughly 3% were locally acquired.

Florida reported the most dengue cases among U.S. states and Washington, D.C., in 2024, with 1,044 cases, or more than a quarter of the total. Florida recorded 85 locally acquired cases across 10 counties that year, compared with 18 in California and two in Texas.

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"Dengue does not stop at county lines," Pinellas County Mosquito Control Director Alissa Berro told Fox 13.

"The mosquitoes that transmit the virus generally stay within a relatively small area, but people travel throughout the Tampa Bay area every day. When someone infected with dengue enters a new area, a local mosquito can bite that person and later spread the virus to others. As cases rise across the region, so does the potential for additional local transmission."

Mosquito-control crews in Florida are increasing aerial and ground treatments in areas showing dengue virus activity, while also inspecting private properties for potential mosquito breeding sites, according to local reports.

FMCA is urging residents to empty or cover standing water around their homes. The mosquito that spreads dengue is a container breeder, meaning it lays eggs in buckets, planters, plant saucers, tires, discarded toys and other objects that collect small amounts of water, experts say.

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The FMCA also advises people to follow what it calls the "three Ds."

Many people infected with dengue have no symptoms, and most people who do become sick recover within a week or two, according to Mayo Clinic.

In some cases, however, the illness can progress to severe dengue, a potentially life-threatening condition.

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Warning signs can develop quickly, often within a day or two after the fever subsides. Those may include severe stomach pain, repeated vomiting, unusual bleeding or bruising, difficulty breathing, extreme tiredness and irritability, or restlessness. 

People experiencing warning signs of severe dengue should seek immediate medical care.

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Longevity doctor reveals what matters most for aging well, beyond pricey biohacks

As "biohacks" like peptides, cold plunges and high-tech wearables grow in popularity, some advocates promote the idea of dramatically extending human life — but others say it’s better to focus on more healthy years rather than living forever.

Dr. Annu Navani — chief medical officer at Le Reve Wellness in San Jose, California, where she leads advanced regenerative and longevity medicine programs — said the biggest myth is that people will be able to live for a "very, very long period of time."

"I do feel we have extended the human lifespan to some extent," Navani, who is also founder of the World Institute of Regenerative Medicine, told Fox News Digital. "So yes, we are making progress, but I think it would be a false promise if we said people would live beyond 120 or 130 years of life."

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Instead, Navani said the goal should be to improve the quality of the years people have.

"Longevity medicine is all about adding life to those years, not so much years to life," she said.

Longevity medicine does not necessarily have to mean costly procedures, supplements or biohacks, according to Navani.

For those who have limited time or money, the doctor recommends "starting from within the daily routines of smart practices."

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Navani shared the following four pillars of health that form the foundation of longevity, all of which "don't cost much money at all."

"I think sleep is really understated in terms of its importance for overall health and longevity," she said.

"Studies have shown that at least seven hours of sleep is [generally recommended] for a human being to be able to perform optimally, and has been linked to a good life and a decent health lifespan."

The CDC's guidance recommends seven or more hours for adults, but individual sleep needs vary.

Navani recommends eating at least three or four hours before bed, avoiding stimulating activities such as laptop use, and practicing calming routines like meditation, gratitude or journaling.

Health agencies recommend managing stress through a combination of physical activity, optimal sleep, relaxation techniques, proper nutrition and social connections.

Navani said she begins her day with 20 minutes of meditation and gratitude, which helps calm her mind and relieve stress.

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She also recommends meditating in the evening as a way to unwind before bed.

General dietary guidance recommends building meals around a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat or fat-free dairy, while limiting added sugars, saturated fat and sodium.

A balanced eating pattern should also be tailored to a person’s age, health needs and preferences, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s guidance.

The CDC recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity — or 75 minutes of vigorous activity — plus muscle-strengthening activity on at least two days per week.

Navani identified high-intensity resistance training as her pick for the most important habit for people in their 50s and beyond. 

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"Studies have shown how it builds bone health and helps musculoskeletal blood flow," she said. "Muscle strength and muscle resilience are linked to health span and longevity, as they impact cardiovascular and neurovascular health."

Navani also identified VO₂ max — which is the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during intense exercise — as an important marker of overall health and longevity.

"I think VO₂ max is a really important key biomarker that has been shown in quite a few studies to be linked positively to good health and longer lifespan," she said.

The metric is widely used as a measure of cardiorespiratory fitness, reflecting how efficiently the heart, lungs and muscles work together.

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For some older adults or people with health conditions, lower-intensity or supervised strength training may be more appropriate, experts say.

Navani emphasized that it’s never too late to meaningfully improve healthspan. 

"I often say if you didn't start in your 20s, the best time to start is today," she said. "I have a lot of patients who come to me when they are 55 and 60 and we start the journey then."

The longevity doctor shared her own simple morning routine that she follows to kick-start each day, which includes breaking the first hour of the day into three 20-minute segments.

The first segment focuses on meditation and gratitude.

"The first 20 minutes is just meditating and waking up and kind of just being grateful and thankful," she shared. "That helps calm me down and relieves stress."

The second 20-minute segment is devoted to movement, which includes stretching, exercising and resistance training.

The final 20 minutes are reserved for reading, she said: "I read something that I really want to capture in my brain, something I want to remember."

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Navani advised against immediately reaching for the phone or opening email first thing in the morning, instead recommending using that time to read something intellectually engaging.

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Why Tasers sometimes fail to stop suspects — and what weight has to do with it

Multiple Taser deployments failed to stop Pamela Cisneros, 49, during a roughly four-minute standoff in Times Square last Monday, after she allegedly stabbed two people. The attack left a 32-year-old woman dead and a 68-year-old man wounded.

"As multiple officers discharged Tasers, which proved to be ineffective, the subject continued to advance toward our officers with the knives," Jessica Tisch, New York City police commissioner, said in a news conference that evening. 

When the Tasers failed to subdue Cisneros — who stated, "I’m not dropping anything. I would rather kill both of you" — two officers opened fire, striking her. Cisneros was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

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The incident sparked broader questions about why Tasers sometimes fail and whether obesity or body composition can impede their effectiveness.

A standard Taser is designed to fire two small, barbed probes connected to the device by insulated, conductive wires, according to Axon, the manufacturer.

"Electrical pulses travel along those wires and into the body, triggering involuntary muscle contractions," Axon’s website states. "For NMI to occur, it is best that two probes make contact 12 inches (30 cm) or more apart."

Steve Keller, a retired police sergeant in Blue Ash, Ohio, said the most common causes of Taser failure include clothing, probe placement, substance abuse by the perpetrator and connectivity between probes.

However, obesity can affect the Taser, he said, as a large layer of body fat could interfere with the connectivity.

"The purpose of the Taser is neuromuscular in capacity," Keller told Fox News Digital.

"Your large muscle masses are your back and thighs. Officers are trained to aim for those areas," he said, just as they are also trained to adjust their aiming for clothing and the distance between them and the subject.

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If one of the probes hits the abdomen and the person is obese, it can affect the connectivity of the two probes, according to Keller.

"If one probe hits the person and the other probe misses, the Taser will not work," he said.

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For example, if one probe hits a subject in the thigh and the other probe hits a thick bubble jacket, there’s a good chance the officer won’t have good connectivity, Keller said.

"The same could be considered if there is a large layer of body fat — they could still feel it, but it might not be as effective."

Referring to Cisneros’ case, Keller emphasized that mental health may also play a significant role in how a person responds to a Taser.

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Tisch confirmed at the press conference that the suspect had a documented mental health history with the NYPD, with one incident in 2018 and another in 2019.

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, agreed that body composition can affect the Taser’s effectiveness.

"Tasers are much more effective for muscle than fat because muscle conducts electricity much better, and the Taser delivers a high voltage," he said. "In an obese person, it is more difficult to find an area that conducts electricity."

Fox News Digital reached out to Axon, the NYPD and obesity organizations requesting comment.

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Georgia woman celebrates 112th birthday, reveals her secret to a long life

A Georgia woman who just celebrated her 112th birthday credits her longevity to staying close to her family and embracing her strong religious faith.

Mabel Dunbar, of Fayetteville, Georgia, was born in Jamaica in 1914. She is the mother of one, grandmother of four and a great-grandmother, and was honored by loved ones on her birthday Sept. 5 with a custom berry cake, flowers and a crown, FOX 5 Atlanta reported.

"God is love and I love my families," Dunbar said at her party. "I love all my families and strangers."

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Those who know her describe Dunbar as "deeply religious, pleasant and talkative," according to FOX 5.

She spent her life serving others and remaining active, the station reported. Until recently, Dunbar still enjoyed cooking and made breakfast for herself every morning. She also enjoyed sharing stories with visitors.

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After moving to Florida to live with her daughter in 1994, Dunbar relocated to Fayetteville in August 2025 to live with her granddaughter and grandson-in-law.

Family remains an important part of Dunbar’s daily life, according to FOX 5.

"Treat them the best you can, because they are important," Dunbar said of younger generations, specifically her grandchildren. "You need them when you can't help yourself like me. These good people are on me all the time, and I'm happy to see them when they come."

Leading oncologist and University of Pennsylvania bioethicist Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel has identified several principles for living longer and reducing disease risk.

They include prioritizing an active social life, staying mentally active with new hobbies and opportunities to learn, limiting processed and sugary foods and drinks without being overly restrictive, engaging in moderate exercise and getting proper sleep, Fox News Digital previously reported.

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Emanuel also recommends avoiding obviously dangerous activities and behaviors.

Religious involvement has also been associated with greater longevity, research has suggested.

In a 2016 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health examined religious service attendance and health outcomes among 74,534 women over 16 years.

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They found that women who attended religious services more than once a week had a 33% lower risk of dying during the follow-up period compared with women who never attended religious services.

Weekly attendance was associated with a 26% lower risk, while attendance less than once a week was associated with a 13% lower risk. Regular attendees also tended to smoke less, experience fewer depressive symptoms and have stronger social support, the researchers reported in 2016.

The world’s oldest documented living person is Ethel Caterham, of England, who turned 117 in August.

Caterham previously told The Associated Press that she credited her long life to "never arguing with anyone," adding, "I listen, and I do what I like."

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