Patti Scialfa, who is Bruce Springsteen’s wife and musical partner, has opened up about her fight against cancer.

The 71-year-old made this revelation in the newly released documentary “Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band,” which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday.

In the film, it is noted that Scialfa was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, in 2018. As a result of her diagnosis, she now occasionally participates in performances, singing only a few songs at each show, as mentioned in the documentary.

Scialfa and Springsteen have been married since 1991 and she has been a longtime member of the E Street Band. They have three children together.

In a 2019 interview with “CBS Mornings,” Springsteen emphasized how vital Scialfa is to him, stating that she has been “at the center of my life for the entire half of my life” and has offered him “immense guidance and inspiration.” Before marrying Scialfa, Springsteen was wed to Julianne Phillips from 1984 until their divorce in 1989.

“Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band,” focuses on the band’s world tour in 2023 and 2024, is set to become available for streaming on Hulu starting October 25. In one part of the documentary, Scialfa mentions that performing alongside Springsteen reveals a “dimension of our relationship that you typically don’t see.”

Understanding multiple myeloma

As per the Cleveland Clinic, multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer that affects plasma cells.

According to the clinic, “Multiple myeloma occurs when healthy cells become abnormal and start to multiply excessively, creating unusual antibodies known as M proteins.” This alteration triggers a series of health complications that may impact bones, kidneys, and the body’s production of healthy white and red blood cells as well as platelets.

Symptoms associated with multiple myeloma can include bone discomfort, nausea, decreased appetite, fatigue, and unintentional weight loss, though some individuals may show no signs during the initial stages, as noted by the Mayo Clinic.

The Cleveland Clinic states that the five-year survival rate for individuals diagnosed with multiple myeloma ranges from 40% to 82%. It affects about seven per 100,000 people annually, and “some patients may live for 10 years or longer” after diagnosis.

In 2023, Dr. Sundar Jagannath, a myeloma specialist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, informed YSL News that due to advancements in treatments, he can assure a newly diagnosed 75-year-old that their prognosis is much improved.

“Extending the life expectancy of elderly patients to a standard lifespan, akin to not having cancer, can be viewed as a sort of cure,” Jagannath explained.

Contributions by: Karen Weintraub, YSL News