Joe Biden gives update on cancer ahead of memoir release

Former US President Joe Biden revealed on Sunday, November 8, that his prostate cancer diagnosis has slowed him down. 

 

He added that this means he will only be able to make limited appearances to promote his upcoming presidential memoir. 

Biden, who announced his cancer diagnosis last year after he left the White House, wrote on X that his doctors “continue to be encouraged” by how he is responding to treatment, but he admitted “some days are better than others. 

 

“While writing the book, I was diagnosed with cancer, a disease known all too well to millions of Americans and their families,” Biden, 83, wrote. 

 

“Some days are better than others. It hasn’t stopped me. But sometimes it slows me down. What that means is, unfortunately, I won’t be able to do as many conversations about my book as I’d hoped. However, I’m hopeful the words on the page speak for themselves.” 

 

His memoir, “Promise Me, America,” is slated for release on Nov. 17. 

 

“It covers my years as President. The challenges we faced, the decisions I made, and why I made them. It’s about who we are as a nation,” Biden said.  

 

“What we stand for. And America’s role in the world. More than anything, it’s about my faith in the American people and the great American experiment in self-governance and democracy.” 

 

Last month, the 46th President delivered a “personal” message on his health for Prostate Awareness Month, urging men to see their doctors for early detection. 

 

“By the time we found it, it had already spread to my bones,” Biden wrote on social media. “When prostate cancer is caught early, the five-year survival is close to 100%. 

 

“Their skill, dedication, and compassion mean so much. The radiation treatment from last fall worked as intended, and I continue to do the things I care about, like finishing my memoir,” he said, thanking his medical staff. 

 

Biden completed his treatment for stage four cancer in October 2025. Hunter Biden described his father’s condition as “very debilitating.”  

 

“The cancer has spread, metastasized into his bones and further,” Hunter said in August. “It’s very painful, and it’s very debilitating in many respects.” 
 

Biden’s memoir comes months after former first lady Jill Biden released her book, “A View from the East Wing,” in June.