Health
Multiple myeloma, rare blood cancer: Bruce Springsteen's wife's diagnosis spotlights the illness
Patti Scialfa, Bruce Springsteen’s wife and a member of the E Street Band, recently shared that she was diagnosed in 2018 with a type of blood cancer called multiple myeloma.
She revealed her illness in the documentary “Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band,” which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival on Sept. 8.
The production gives a behind-the-scenes look at the famed musician and the long-standing band during their latest tour.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN’S WIFE ANNOUNCES BLOOD CANCER DIAGNOSIS
“This affects my immune system, so I have to be careful what I choose to do and where I choose to go,” Scialfa, 71, said in the film when discussing her illness.
Patti Scialfa, Bruce Springsteen’s wife and a member of the E Street Band, recently shared that she was diagnosed in 2018 with a type of blood cancer called multiple myeloma. (Getty Images)
“Every once in a while, I come to a show or two and I can sing a few songs on stage, and that’s been a treat,” she continued.
Scialfa joined the E Street Band right before the 1984 “Born in the U.S.A.” tour. She later married Springsteen in 1991 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.
Fox News Digital reached out to Scialfa for comment.
What is multiple myeloma?
Multiple myeloma, a cancer of the cells in the bone marrow, is diagnosed in more than 35,000 people in the U.S. each year, according to the American Cancer Society.
Plasma cells grow in the bone marrow, which has been described as a “factory” of blood.
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In a healthy person, the cells produce proteins called antibodies that are directed against germs to fight infection, according to Dr. Cristina Gasparetto, a hematologic oncologist and professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine.
Multiple myeloma occurs when plasma cells grow “out of control,” the ACS states.
Multiple myeloma occurs when plasma cells grow “out of control,” per the American Cancer Society. (iStock)
That causes abnormal antibodies to be secreted in the blood, which can damage the bones and other organs.
“[The disease] is called ‘multiple’ because there are frequently multiple patches or areas in the bone where it grows,” Dr. Joseph Mikhael, chief medical officer of the International Myeloma Foundation in California, told Fox News Digital.
Symptoms of the disease
“Most of the signs and symptoms of myeloma are rather general, with the top three being excessive fatigue, bone pain and anemia,” Mikhael said.
Some patients, however, may not have any symptoms when they are diagnosed.
The most common symptoms can be summed up in the acronym “CRAB,” which stands for high calcium levels in the blood, renal (or kidney) insufficiency, anemia and bone destruction, experts say.
The top three symptoms of the disease are excessive fatigue, bone pain and anemia, experts say.
Bone pain is the hallmark of the disease, as the myeloma cells grow within the bone, which may lead to elevated levels of calcium in the blood, Gasparetto told Fox News Digital.
“Symptoms of having high calcium include increased thirst, dehydration, fatigue, muscle pain and sometimes confusion,” she added.
Multiple myeloma is diagnosed in more than 35,000 people in the U.S. each year, according to the American Cancer Society. (iStock)
The antibodies produced by the myeloma cells are eliminated through the kidneys, which can cause obstruction and/or direct damage to the organs.
“The patient will notice some foamy urine, due to the presence of an abundant amount of an [abnormal] protein called Bence-Jones proteinuria,” Gasparetto said.
Methods of diagnosis
The first step is typically to administer specific blood and urine tests, which reveal abnormally high protein levels excreted by the tumor cells – often referred to as an “M spike,” experts told Fox News Digital.
“We measure this protein at the time of diagnosis, during therapy to assess response, and thereafter to monitor progression or relapse,” Gasparetto said.
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Bone pain may also prompt imaging, which would reveal any skeletal abnormalities.
The initial results are then confirmed with a bone aspiration and biopsy.
“With the bone marrow aspiration, we remove a small amount of fluid from the bone marrow, and with the bone marrow biopsy, we remove a small piece of bone,” Gasparetto said.
Myeloma does not typically run in families, but there is a slightly increased incidence when a family member has the disease, experts say. (iStock)
A pathologist then analyzes the sample to determine the severity of the disease.
The final diagnosis is based on a combination of all these tests — blood work, bone marrow aspiration and biopsy, imaging studies and urinalysis, experts told Fox News Digital.
Risk factors for the disease
Myeloma does not typically run in families, but there is a slightly increased incidence when a family member has the disease, Mikhael told Fox News Digital.
“For the vast majority of cases, we do not know the cause of myeloma.”
Many cases may be due to random genetic changes that occur later in life, experts say.
“For the vast majority of cases, we do not know the cause of myeloma,” Mikhael said. “It is more common as we age, with the average age of diagnosis approximately 69.”
African-American and Latino American patients are diagnosed at a younger age, on average at around 64 or 65.
Individuals of African descent are twice as likely to have myeloma, statistics show.
Multiple myeloma is more common as people age, doctors say, with the average age of diagnosis approximately 69. (iStock)
Firefighters who have been exposed to fires are more at risk, and other types of chemical exposures are also connected to myeloma, including Agent Orange and excessive radiation, Mikhael noted.
There may also be a greater risk for people who have a higher increased body mass index, as well as in people who have certain blood conditions, such as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), which involves an abnormal protein in the blood without the organ damage caused by multiple myeloma.
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In most cases, multiple myeloma cannot be prevented, according to Dr. Mikkael Sekeres, chief of the division of hematology of Sylvester Cancer Center at the University of Miami.
Treatment options
The American Cancer Society recommends that myeloma patients see an oncologist for a personalized treatment plan based on their age, overall health and severity of the disease.
Some therapies may include monoclonal antibodies and drugs called immune modulating agents, which boost the immune system to help the body fight cancer.
“Multiple myeloma can [also] be treated with chemotherapy — up to three or four drug regimens for a few months, followed by maintenance therapy,” a doctor said. (iStock)
“Multiple myeloma can [also] be treated with chemotherapy — up to three or four drug regimens for a few months, followed by maintenance therapy,” Sekeres told Fox News Digital.
Eligible patients may pursue a bone marrow (stem cell) transplant, which can lead to prolonged remissions, the doctor added.
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The cancer is not cured with conventional therapy, but most patients respond well to treatment, according to Mikhael.
“The average survival rate was one or two years just 20 years ago, but it is now over 10 years,” he noted.
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Older adults who avoid meat in their golden years may be less likely to reach age 100 than their meat-eating counterparts, new research suggests.
Researchers tracked more than 5,000 adults aged 80 or older who were enrolled in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey.
Between 1998 and 2018, data showed that those who did not eat meat were less likely to reach their 100th birthday than those who consumed animal products regularly.
The findings seem to contradict previous studies that have linked vegetarianism and plant-based diets to lower risks of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and obesity.
Most evidence supporting the benefits of plant-based diets comes from studies tracking younger populations, the researchers noted.
The findings contrast with previous research praising plant-based diets for their positive influence on heart health. (iStock)
The study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, points to losses in muscle mass and bone density with age, shifts that can increase the risk of malnutrition and frailty in the “oldest old.”
As people enter their 80s and 90s, the nutritional priority often shifts from preventing long-term chronic diseases to maintaining day-to-day physical function, experts say.
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“The headline ‘vegetarians over 80 less likely to reach 100’ sounds surprising, because it contrasts with decades of data linking plant‑forward diets to lower chronic disease risk earlier in life,” Erin Palinski-Wade, a New Jersey-based registered dietitian, told Fox News Digital.
“However, once you see that this research is limited to adults over the age of 80 who are also underweight — and that this link disappears with the consumption of eggs, dairy and fish — the results are less surprising.”
While diets earlier in life tend to emphasize avoiding long-term disease, older age necessitates nutrients and weight maintenance, experts say. (iStock)
In those over 80, restricting animal proteins may be less likely to promote longevity, according to Palinski-Wade, who was not involved in the study.
Eliminating all animal protein — particularly in a population that may already experience diminished hunger cues — can make it more difficult to meet adequate protein needs, potentially increasing the risk of nutrient deficiencies, the nutritionist said.
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In addition to a higher tendency to be underweight, older populations also face a greater risk of bone fractures due to lower calcium and protein intake.
Potential limitations
The lower rate of vegetarians reaching 100 was only observed in participants identified as underweight, the researchers noted. No such association was found in people who maintained a healthy weight.
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Because being underweight is already linked to greater frailty and mortality risk, the researchers noted that body weight may partly explain the findings, making it difficult to determine whether diet itself played a direct role.
Those incorporating animal-sourced products other than meat were just as likely to live to 100. (iStock)
Additionally, the shortened lifespans were not found in people who continued to eat non-meat animal products, such as fish, dairy and eggs.
Older adults with these more flexible diets were just as likely to live to 100 as those eating meat, as these foods may provide the nutrients necessary for maintaining muscle and bone health, the researchers noted.
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“This is an observational study, so it can only show associations, and does not prove that avoiding meat directly reduces the odds of reaching 100,” Palinski-Wade added.
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The researchers suggested that including small amounts of animal-sourced foods could help older seniors maintain essential nutrients and avoid the muscle loss often seen in those who stick strictly to plants.
Eliminating all animal protein — particularly in a population that may already experience diminished hunger cues — can make it more difficult to meet adequate protein needs, potentially increasing the risk of nutrient deficiencies. (iStock)
Palinski-Wade offered some guidance for those looking to optimize nutrition later in life.
“For adults in their 80s and beyond, especially anyone losing weight or muscle, the priority should be maintaining a healthy weight and meeting protein and micronutrient needs — even if that means adding or increasing fish, eggs, dairy or well‑planned, fortified plant proteins and supplements.”
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Strict vegan or very low‑protein patterns at that age should be carefully monitored by a dietitian or clinician, with attention to B12, vitamin D, calcium and total protein, according to Palinski-Wade.
“Younger and healthier adults can still confidently use plant‑forward or vegetarian patterns to lower long‑term chronic disease risk,” she added.
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In a dramatic turn of events that’s captured the attention of animal lovers worldwide, Punch — the young macaque at a zoo in Japan famous for his inseparable bond with a stuffed orangutan toy — has reached a major milestone in his journey toward social integration.
On Thursday, visitors and staff at the Ichikawa Zoological and Botanical Garden witnessed a breakthrough: Punch was seen cuddling with and hitching a ride on the back of a fellow macaque.
Punch’s story began with hardship. He was abandoned by his mother shortly after his birth in July 2025 — and to ensure his survival, zookeepers stepped in to hand-rear the primate.
On Jan. 19, 2026, the zoo officially began the process of reintegrating Punch into the “monkey mountain” enclosure.
The transition was initially fraught with tension.
Punch’s story began with hardship when he was abandoned by his mother shortly after he was born. To help him, zookeepers gave him a stuffed toy that he began dragging around everywhere he went. (David Mareuil/Anadolu via Getty Images)
As a hand-reared infant, Punch was bullied and ignored by the established group of monkeys.
He was often seen huddled alone with his orange plush companion while the rest of the troop interacted.
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In an official statement released Feb. 27, the Ichikawa Zoological and Botanical Garden detailed the meticulous care behind this process.
Previous viral videos showed Punch bullied by the rest of the troop, running to his plushy toy for comfort. (David Mareuil/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“From an animal welfare perspective, our primary goal is to reintegrate Punch with the troop,” the zoo said.
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The strategy involved nursing Punch within the enclosure, so the troop could recognize him as one of their own, and pairing him with a gentle young female macaque prior to his full release to build his confidence.
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The latest footage, captured by X user @tate_gf, suggested the zoo’s patience is paying off.
The video shows Punch seeking physical contact not from his toy, but from another monkey — eventually climbing onto its back for a vital social behavior for young macaques: the “piggyback ride.”
The zoo’s strategy appears to be paying off: Punch, shown at far left, was recently seen riding on the back of a fellow macaque. (David Mareuil/Anadolu via Getty Images)
While Punch still carries his stuffed toy for comfort during moments of perceived danger, the zoo remains optimistic about his progress.
The organization cited the successful 2009 case of Otome, another hand-reared macaque who eventually outgrew her stuffed toy, successfully integrated — and went on to raise four offspring of her own.
The zoo has had crowds coming to see Punch, with hundreds of people lining up to get inside to see the young star, according to reports.
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“I’m hoping Punch has a good life like everybody else does, and think he’s a cute little guy,” one person commented online.
“Such a precious baby,” another person wrote.
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