Cancer progression confirmed

Former US president Joe Biden's prostate cancer has metastasized to his bones and other parts of his body, his son Hunter Biden disclosed in a BBC interview broadcast on Friday. The 83-year-old Democrat, who served as president from 2021 to 2025, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer in May 2025, four months after leaving the White House. At the time, his office said the cancer had already spread to his bones and that the tumor was hormone-sensitive. ABC News reported a Gleason score of 9, placing it in the highest risk group.

Hunter Biden, visibly emotional during the interview, described the toll the disease has taken on his father.

“It is very painful and in many ways very debilitating, but he is still here.”

He added that it was "really, really hard and really sad to see this."

Contrasting assessments

The disclosure stands in contrast to Biden's own characterization of his health just weeks earlier. When announcing his memoir "Promise Me, America" last month, Biden said in a video message that his treatment was going "really well," per ABC News. The memoir is scheduled for release on November 17, after the midterm elections.

Jill Biden, the former first lady, offered a less optimistic picture in a podcast interview this week with host Kelly Ripa. She said the treatment continues and described the daily reality of living with the disease.

“He will live with cancer forever. It is constant. It is daily. And I find it challenging.”

Medical experts cited by the New York Times noted that once prostate cancer reaches the bones, it cannot be cured. Biden's treatment has included radiation therapy and hormone therapy. In September 2025, he underwent a Mohs procedure to remove skin cancer lesions.

Hunter Biden on the 2024 debate and the pardon

In the same BBC interview, Hunter Biden reflected on the 2024 presidential debate that effectively ended his father's re-election campaign, calling it a shock for the entire family. He said he immediately noticed something was wrong when his father appeared on stage.

“I saw immediately when my father came out that something was wrong. I have never seen him with such an empty look in his eyes as he had then.”

Biden withdrew from the race afterward, and Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee, losing to Republican Donald Trump. Before leaving office, Biden granted a pardon to Hunter, who had been convicted of illegal possession of firearms and faced tax charges. Hunter told the BBC he was "grateful" for the pardon but acknowledged it was "not good" for his father's legacy. He said he never discussed the possibility of a pardon with his father before it was granted, saying there was no way to have that kind of discussion without it becoming public.

Public appearances continue

Despite the illness, Biden has maintained public appearances. In June, he attended the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago and delivered the keynote speech at a Maryland Democratic Party fundraiser, which fell on the second anniversary of the debate performance that ended his re-election bid. His daughter Ashley Biden previously posted a video of him ringing a bell, a tradition marking a milestone in cancer treatment.

Biden has faced significant health challenges over the years, including a cerebral aneurysm in 1988 that threatened his political career. His son Beau died in 2015 of glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. Biden has long supported cancer research initiatives.