Joe Biden had not had a blood test for prostate cancer for 11 years, a spokesman for the former US president said on Tuesday.

Mr Biden had never been diagnosed with cancer before last week, his spokesman insisted after Donald Trump fuelled claims of a cover-up by saying that he was “surprised” the public was not told about the cancer earlier.

The former president’s office announced on Sunday that the 82 year-old had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, a few days after a nodule was found on the gland.

“President Biden’s last known PSA was in 2014,” a Biden spokesman said in a statement. “Prior to Friday, President Biden had never been diagnosed with prostate cancer.”

Mr Trump and his allies raised questions about when his predecessor and his doctors knew about the cancer, given its advanced nature and the intensive medical scrutiny of US presidents.