Hunter Biden revealed in a BBC interview on Friday that his father’s prostate cancer has spread and is causing significant pain, describing the condition as “very debilitating” and “very painful” as the former president continues to deal with the aggressive disease diagnosed over a year ago.
“The cancer has spread, it has metastasized into his bones and further. It’s very painful, and it’s very debilitating in many respects,” Hunter Biden told the BBC, adding that he wished his father would complain more about his condition.
“It’s really hard. It’s really sad to watch,” Hunter Biden said in the emotional interview. “He is our rock. He has been there for each one of us in a way that is hard for me to even possibly articulate and explain.”
The Original Diagnosis and Treatment
Former President Joe Biden was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer in May 2025, months after leaving office. At the time of diagnosis, the cancer had already metastasized to his bones, a development that made the disease significantly more serious and incurable, according to medical experts.
The cancer was characterized by a Gleason score of 9, indicating an aggressive form of the disease. In September 2025, Biden completed a course of radiation therapy combined with hormone treatment, though the treatment could only manage the disease rather than cure it.
Former First Lady Jill Biden acknowledged the severity of the metastatic spread in June 2026, telling NBC News that her husband “will live with cancer till the rest of his life.” She explained the critical difference: “If he had just been diagnosed with prostate cancer, that’s one thing because that can be cured, but the fact that it metastasized to his bones, that makes it a whole different story.”
Metastatic prostate cancer—cancer that has spread beyond the prostate gland—typically cannot be cured, though treatments can slow progression and manage symptoms. According to medical research, patients with bone metastases face a median survival period measured in years rather than decades, though individual outcomes vary significantly based on treatment response and other factors.
Hunter Biden’s remarks come as the former president continues to navigate his health challenges publicly. The family has been relatively transparent about the diagnosis and its progression, with Biden’s office and family members providing periodic updates on his condition and treatment.
Sources
- NBC News — Hunter Biden’s BBC interview statements on his father’s cancer progression, Jill Biden’s June 2026 comments on metastatic prostate cancer
- The New York Times — Coverage of Hunter Biden’s August 8, 2026 BBC interview revealing cancer spread
- The Guardian — Hunter Biden’s description of cancer as “debilitating” and spread to bones
- Fox News — Details of original May 2025 diagnosis and Gleason score
- BBC — Direct interview with Hunter Biden on his father’s condition
- Mayo Clinic — Medical information on metastatic prostate cancer treatment and prognosis
