President Biden’s Cancer Diagnosis: Why "Normal" Isn’t Always Safe

Former President Joe Biden’s recent diagnosis of aggressive prostate cancer (Gleason score 9 with bone metastasis) has reignited discussions about early detection challenges in prostate cancer. 

Despite regular medical evaluations, his cancer remained undetected until urinary symptoms prompted further investigation, revealing a prostate nodule and subsequent diagnosis.

This raises a crucial question: how does such a severe diagnosis go unnoticed for so long?

The Limitations of Traditional PSA Screening

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests are standard in screening for prostate cancer. However, relying solely on absolute PSA values can be misleading. A PSA level within the "normal" range may not trigger concern, even if it has increased significantly over a short period, a factor known as PSA velocity. Studies suggest that a PSA velocity greater than 0.4 ng/mL/year may indicate the presence of clinically significant prostate cancer, even when PSA levels are considered normal.

In President Biden's case, it's plausible that his PSA levels were within normal limits but increased rapidly over time, a change that might have gone unnoticed without close monitoring of PSA velocity.

This is exactly one of the scenarios Affineon’s AI inbox agent is designed to help clinicians catch before it’s too late.

The Role of AI in Early Detection

AI systems like Affineon can analyze vast amounts of patient data, identifying patterns and trends that might escape human observation. By continuously monitoring PSA levels and calculating PSA velocity, AI can alert healthcare providers to significant changes that warrant further investigation, even if absolute values remain within normal ranges.

Furthermore, AI can review a patient's entire medical history, considering factors like family history, previous test results, and other risk indicators to provide a comprehensive risk assessment. This holistic approach enables more informed decision-making and timely interventions.

How Affineon Flags What Matters

Our AI inbox agent reviews the patient’s full chart, trending labs and summarizing findings directly in the provider’s internal note. Instead of toggling between windows or clicking into old results, the provider sees everything that’s clinically significant right where they need it. No mental gymnastics required.

Our smart calculations (like ASCVD and CKD) run automatically, using the most current clinical guidelines. So providers can focus their attention on critical clinical thinking, not manual data entry or remembering which calculator to use.

With respect to prostate-specific antigen in particular, Affineon doesn’t just flag abnormalities; it contextualizes and trends data over time. Affineon calculates PSA velocity, studies clinical history, and flags a result for provider review if:

• The PSA value increased rapidly, even if still normal
• There are warning signs in the patient chart, such as whether the patient is in a high-risk category or has a family history of prostate cancer

Beyond PSA: Monitoring Other Indicators

AI's capabilities extend beyond PSA monitoring. For instance, a gradual decline in hemoglobin levels, even within the normal range, can be an early sign of various health issues, including cancer. AI can detect such subtle changes, prompting further evaluation and potentially earlier diagnosis.

Enhancing Clinical Decision-Making

By integrating AI agents like Affineon into clinical workflows, healthcare providers can benefit from real-time insights and alerts, reducing the risk of overlooking critical changes in patient health indicators. This proactive approach supports early detection and intervention, which are vital in managing diseases like prostate cancer effectively.

Conclusion: Empowering Providers to Intervene Earlier

President Biden's diagnosis underscores the importance of vigilant monitoring and early detection in managing prostate cancer and other diseases. Biden’s case highlights what providers tell us every day: "I just don’t have time to click through every chart, every lab trend." That’s why Affineon is built as an autonomous assistant. It works 24/7, lives inside the EHR, and only surfaces what truly matters.

We’ve already helped providers cut their inbox volume by 30%–80%. But the real win is qualitative: it’s when a provider tells us, “You caught something I would’ve missed.”

That’s not just saving time. That’s saving lives.

For more on how Affineon trends labs and flags risk signals like PSA velocity and hemoglobin shifts, contact us for a live demo.