Patti Scialfa announces cancer diagnosis in Bruce Springsteen film

Patti Scialfa, Bruce Springsteen's wife and E Street bandmate, has announced that she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer, in 2018.

Scialfa spoke about her diagnosis in the new documentary “Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band,” which premiered Sunday night at the Toronto Film Festival. In the film, which takes a thoughtful look at the rock legend and his close-knit group of collaborators, she said her illness has made it difficult for her to perform, and as a result she has retired from touring.

“It affects my immune system, so I have to be careful about what I do and where I go,” she said in the film. “Every now and then I get to a show or two and I get to sing a few songs on stage, and that's a treat. That's the new normal for me right now, and I'm OK with that.”

Scialfa was not present at Sunday's premiere. The 71-year-old has been a member of the E Street Band since 1984 and married Springsteen in 1991. Scialfa was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 as a member of the E Street Band. In “Road Diary,” she says that performing with her husband shows the audience “a side of our relationship that you don't normally get to see.”

Springsteen also had health problems and postponed his 2023 tour after being diagnosed with a stomach ulcer. Earlier this year, he postponed some shows under “doctor's advice” as the singer continued to suffer from “voice problems.”

“Road Diary” shows footage from Springsteen's most recent world tour and provides an intimate look at backstage planning. The film also served as a meditation on morality. However, 74-year-old Springsteen emphasized at the TIFF premiere that he has no plans to retire any time soon. He wants to keep performing until “the wheels fall off.”