In a new documentary, Bruce Springsteen’s wife, Patti Scialfa, opened up for the first time publicly about being diagnosed with cancer in 2018.

Scialfa, who’s a longtime member of the E Street Band, revealed that she has multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer that has caused her to take a step back from touring. The revelation came during “Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band,” which premiered Sunday at the Toronto International Film Festival and will be available to stream Oct. 25 on Hulu and Disney+. 

“Touring has become a challenge for me,” Scialfa, 71, said in the film. The cancer, “affects my immune system so I just have to be careful what I choose to do and where I choose to go. … Every once in a while, I come to a show or two and I can sing a few songs onstage, and that’s been a treat. That’s the new normal for me right now, and I’m OK with that.”

Multiple myeloma is a rare blood cancer that affects the plasma cells — which are white blood cells, primarily found in the bone marrow, that are part of the immune system because they produce antibodies to help fight infection, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Multiple myeloma happens when healthy plasma cells change into abnormal cells that multiply and produce abnormal antibodies, which causes medical issues that can affect the bones, kidneys and the body’s ability to make healthy red and white blood cells and platelets.

Around 35,800 new multiple myeloma cases will be diagnosed in the United States this year, and about 12,540 deaths from the condition are expected to occur, according to the American Cancer Society. The exact cause of multiple myeloma is not known, but potential risk factors may include genetic mutations, environmental factors like exposure to radiation or chemicals, having an inflammatory disease (like heart disease, Type 2 diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis) or being obese. The risk of developing multiple myeloma also increases with age. Most people that are diagnosed with it are at least 65 years old, and less than 1% of cases occur in people younger than 35, according to the American Cancer Society.

Bone pain is typically the first symptom that people with multiple myeloma notice, according to the Cleveland Clinic, but other symptoms may include weakness or numbness in the arms and legs, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, unexplained weight loss, fever, feeling confused, bruising or bleeding more easily, a lack of appetite and feeling thirstier than usual. 

There is no known cure for multiple myeloma, but health care providers can treat related symptoms and slow the disease’s progress. Some potential treatments include pain medications, antibiotics, steroids, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and stem cell transplants. The overall five-year survival rate for people diagnosed with multiple myeloma is 58%, Medical News Today reported.

In “Road Diary,” Scialfa said she received her early-stage cancer diagnosis during the first run of “Springsteen on Broadway.” The documentary, which offers a behind-the-scenes look at Springsteen’s touring in the past year, does not explain the current status of Scialfa’s illness. Scialfa, who joined the E Street Band as a singer and guitarist in 1984 and married Springsteen in 1991, was not in attendance at the film’s TIFF premiere. Scialfa was also absent from Springsteen’s two concerts at Citizens Bank Park last month.

Springsteen, 74, has faced his own health issues. Earlier this year, he postponed shows due to “vocal issues.” In 2023, he had to postpone a string of tour dates as he dealt with peptic ulcer disease, a condition that causes painful sores or ulcers inside the stomach or small intestine. At the TIFF premiere, he said he doesn’t plan to retire any time soon and will keep performing until “the wheels come off.”