Beau Biden, Eldest Son of President Joe Biden, Died from the Most Aggressive Form of Brain Cancer

Beau Biden, the eldest son of President Joe Biden, died on May 30, 2015, at the age of 46 due to glioblastoma multiforme, the most aggressive type of brain cancer. He was diagnosed in 2013 after experiencing episodes of disorientation and weakness. He received treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where a brain lesion was surgically removed, followed by radiation and chemotherapy. Although the disease initially stabilized, it recurred in 2015, and he passed away after being hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Glioblastoma is a fast-growing and highly invasive brain tumor, with a median survival of 12 to 15 months even with treatment. It affects approximately 15,000 adults each year in the United States and has a five-year survival rate of less than 5%.

Beau Biden was an Iraq War veteran and served as Delaware’s attorney general. His death prompted his father to spearhead the "Cancer Moonshot" initiative, aimed at accelerating cancer research and treatment with the goal of reducing cancer death rates by 50% over the next 25 years.

Although no direct cause of his glioblastoma has been confirmed, President Biden has suggested a potential link to exposure to toxic burn pits during Beau’s military service in Iraq.

Beau Biden’s story underscores the urgency of advancing cancer research and the importance of public policies that prioritize the health and well-being of citizens.

Sources: Wikipedia, ABC News, The Washington Post