Her comments highlighted the difference between localized prostate cancer and metastatic disease, which has spread beyond its original location.

Jill also discussed the emotional difficulty of receiving the diagnosis. In a May 2026 interview with CBS News, she recalled the moment the family learned about Joe’s condition.

“Honestly, I can remember getting the diagnosis, and it was just shocking,” she told CBS correspondent Rita Braver.

Jill also discussed the way the diagnosis had changed her approach to her husband’s health. When Braver asked whether she felt tense about his condition, she replied: “I don’t know if the word is tense, but I think I’m vigilant.”

Her comments revealed how closely she now monitors the situation while supporting Joe through treatment.

Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis and treatment
Joe’s office announced his diagnosis on May 18, 2025, after doctors identified a prostate nodule following an evaluation prompted by urinary symptoms.

Further examinations revealed an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had metastasized to his bones.

The announcement gave the cancer a Gleason score of nine, placing it in the most aggressive grade group. Doctors also confirmed that the disease was hormone-sensitive, meaning hormone therapy could help control its growth.

Prostate cancer develops when cells in the prostate gland grow abnormally. Some cases progress slowly, while others spread to distant parts of the body and require more intensive treatment.

When cancer spreads to the bones, doctors must manage both the disease and the complications that can arise from affected areas. Although treatments can help control metastatic prostate cancer, doctors generally do not consider it curable.

Joe underwent radiation therapy in October 2025 as part of his treatment. His medical team has also used hormone therapy to help manage the disease.