WASHINGTON (TNND) — Former President Joe Biden's recent prostate cancer diagnosis has sparked questions among health experts about how such an advanced condition went undetected during his presidency. In his 2024 physical, Biden was described by his doctor as "a healthy, active, robust 81-year-old male, who remains fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency."

However, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, an oncologist who served on Biden's COVID-19 advisory board, expressed skepticism about the thoroughness of Biden's last physical. According to Emanuel:

He did not develop it in the last 100-200 days. He had it while he was president. He probably had it at the start of his presidency.

According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer can often be detected early through regular physicals that include prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests. Presidents Bush, Obama, and Trump all completed PSA tests during their annual physical exams, but Biden's doesn't specify anything about a PSA test.

Early detection can make treatment more manageable. It remains unclear whether Biden underwent PSA testing during any of his annual physicals.

The diagnosis has also reignited discussions about Biden's cognitive health during his final years in office. A new book by CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson claims Biden often forgot aides' names, lost his train of thought, and was kept out of public view to conceal his decline. The book suggests that many Democratic lawmakers, cabinet members, and donors were privately concerned.

Journalism expert Frank Sesno criticized the media for failing to ask tough questions about Biden's health during the 2024 presidential election. A Wall Street Journal report citing 45 sources was dismissed for lacking named sources, and coverage by Sinclair was labeled as "conservative media spin."

Following a poor debate performance, Biden withdrew from the race, leading critics to argue that his fitness should have been a prominent story all along. The House Oversight Committee has announced plans to investigate what it describes as a cover-up of Biden's mental decline.