Biden says prostate cancer limits memoir appearances ahead of book release

Former President Joe Biden says his battle with aggressive prostate cancer has slowed him down and limited how much he can travel to promote his memoir. In a post on X on Sunday, Nov. 8, Biden gave an update on his health ahead of the book's release, saying that some days are better than others and that the illness has affected what he is able to do in the weeks before publication.

Biden was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer in May 2025, after he had left office. At the time of diagnosis, the cancer had already spread to his bones. Doctors say he is responding well to treatment, and Biden has pointed to that progress in his public remarks. The current extent of the spread has not been publicly detailed by his medical team. Separate reporting, citing a family member, has said the cancer has spread further in recent months, though the notes accompanying this report do not give specifics about how far it has advanced or what that would mean for his care.

The memoir, titled Promise Me, America, is scheduled for release on Nov. 17. The book covers his four years as president and touches on the defining challenges of that period, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, the legislation he pushed through Congress, and the country's diplomatic relationships with its allies and rivals. It also explains his 2024 decision to exit the race for re-election, a choice that reshaped the Democratic contest that year and that Biden addresses directly in the book.

Authors of political memoirs typically tour extensively in the weeks around publication, appearing at bookstores, interviews and public events. Biden's health has placed that kind of schedule in doubt. It remains unclear how many memoir events he will now be able to attend, and his publisher and representatives have not laid out a revised plan in the material available for this report.

The update also arrives during a period when Biden has been largely absent from the midterm campaign trail. His limited public presence since leaving office has drawn attention from Democrats weighing how much to rely on a former president heading into a difficult election cycle, and the health disclosure adds a personal dimension to questions about his role going forward. For many readers, the book will be the clearest account yet from Biden of his own time in office, and his ability to discuss it in person now depends on how his treatment progresses.

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Delaney Sawyer

Society Reporter

Delaney Sawyer covers public affairs, politics, business, culture and daily news for Core Memo. The role focuses on verification, context, and clear explanations for readers.

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