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Bruce Springsteen, 76, Says Wife Patti Scialfa’s Cancer Is in Remission
She has lived with multiple myeloma for more than eight years
Patti Scialfa and Bruce Springsteen are seen here at a 2025 Hollywood premiere. Springsteen said that Scialfa’s multiple myeloma is in remission.
Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
Key takeaways
- Bruce Springsteen said his wife and E Street Band bandmate, Patti Scialfa, is in remission from multiple myeloma.
- He delivered the update in a recorded message shown July 31 at the Pan-Mass Challenge opening ceremonies in Massachusetts.
- AARP guidance for people facing cancer stresses finding the right care team, keeping a list of questions, considering a second opinion and building a support network.
Bruce Springsteen said his wife, Patti Scialfa, is in remission after living with multiple myeloma for more than eight years.
Springsteen, 76, shared the update July 31 in a recorded video shown during the opening ceremonies for the Pan-Mass Challenge cycling fundraiser in Worcester, Massachusetts. The annual ride, held Aug. 1 and 2, raises money for cancer research and treatment at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where Springsteen said Scialfa received care.
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“As you know, Patti’s been living with her multiple myeloma for over eight years,” Springsteen said. “But now, thankfully, she is in remission.”
Springsteen recorded the eight-minute message in a home studio, where he also performed a solo acoustic version of “Born to Run.” He thanked the physicians and nurses who treated Scialfa, 73, and supported their family.
“Like millions of families facing cancer, we’ve learned what every patient learns. Hope has a face,” Springsteen said. “It’s our physician who refuses to stop searching and caring. It’s our nurse who sits beside us when we’re scared and always makes our journey a little bit easier.”
Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer that develops in plasma cells in the bone marrow, according to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. Healthy plasma cells make antibodies that help protect the body from infection. In those with multiple myeloma, cancerous plasma cells grow out of control.
Multiple myeloma disproportionately affects older adults and some racial and ethnic groups, according to the foundation. More than half of patients are at least 65 years old at the time of diagnosis. The disease occurs more often in men than in women. Black Americans face roughly twice the diagnosis rate seen among other racial and ethnic populations, while Hispanic patients tend to develop myeloma more frequently and at younger ages than non-Hispanic white patients.
Scialfa was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2018 and talked about it in the 2024 documentary Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. She joined the band in 1984 as a singer and guitarist and has been a central part of Springsteen’s music, stage performances and personal life for more than four decades. The couple married in June 1991 and recently marked their 35th wedding anniversary. They have three adult children: Evan, 36, Jessica, 34, and Samuel, 32.
Springsteen, a 20-time Grammy winner for songs including “Dancing in the Dark” and “Streets of Philadelphia,” as well as a 1999 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, remains one of rock’s most enduring figures.
What to do after a cancer diagnosis
A cancer diagnosis can bring a rush of questions about doctors, testing and treatment. AARP recommends learning about the diagnosis, finding an oncologist with relevant experience and considering a second opinion.
For multiple myeloma, the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation advises consulting a myeloma specialist because treatment depends on the disease’s stage, subtype and the patient’s overall health.
Springsteen did not disclose details about Scialfa’s current treatment or whether her remission is partial or complete. The five-year relative survival rate for people diagnosed with multiple myeloma between 2016 and 2022 was 63.7 percent, according to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. But outcomes vary widely depending on the stage and type of the disease, the person’s overall health and how well the cancer responds to treatment.
Springsteen also used the announcement to recognize the medical workers and fundraisers who supported the couple through his wife’s illness.
“Patti and I are grateful for everything you continue to do,” he said before beginning “Born to Run.” “Thank you. Have a wonderful ride.”
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