Ex-US President Joe Biden’s ‘painful’ prostate cancer ‘spread into his bones and further’.
Former US President Joe Biden has said his battle with prostate cancer will limit the number of promotional appearances he can make for his upcoming memoir, “Promise Me, America”, which is due to be released on November 17.
But sometimes it slows me down,” Biden, 83, wrote on social media on Sunday. Biden’s publisher announced the memoir on July 15. The book is described as his personal account of his four years in the White House, covering his presidency, his decision to seek a second term and his eventual withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race. The 480-page memoir is expected to cover his administration’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the January 6 Capitol attack, the economy, infrastructure and healthcare, as well as US foreign policy and its support for Ukraine. The title echoes his 2017 memoir, Promise Me, Dad, which focused on the death of his son Beau. Biden’s health has remained a concern since he disclosed his prostate cancer diagnosis in May 2025, less than four months after leaving office. His office said the cancer had a Gleason score of 9, indicating an aggressive form of the disease, and had already spread to his bones.
He said he would not be able to take part in as many conversations about the book as he had hoped, but added that he was hopeful “the words on the page speak for themselves”. It also said the cancer appeared to be hormone-sensitive, making it possible to manage with treatment. In September 2026, he said the radiation treatment had “worked as intended” and that his doctors had helped bring the disease under control. He said the cancer had “metastasized into his bones and further”, describing it as painful and debilitating.
“Some days are better than others. It hasn’t stopped me. It will also offer Biden’s account of the decision to step aside from the presidential contest. Biden underwent radiation therapy and hormone treatment. He did not say he was cancer-free. However, his son Hunter Biden offered a account of his condition in an interview with the BBC in August.