Hunter Biden Says Dad Joe's Cancer Treatment Is 'Like Torture': 'Just Not Ideal'

Hunter Biden is opening up about the painful reality of watching his father, former President Joe Biden, undergo cancer treatment.

During an appearance on Howie Mandel's "Howie Mandel Does Stuff" podcast, Hunter shared an update on his father's health, revealing that while there hasn't been a new diagnosis, the treatment process has been grueling.

"He's okay. Every time I say something, people, I think, confuse that there's some new diagnosis or not. There's not," Hunter explained. "He has stage four metastatic bone cancer, which you have to live with the rest of your life. And the treatment is just not ideal. It's like torture."

Beyond the physical toll of treatment, Hunter admitted he's not ready to let go of his father.

"It's all fear-based. Fear that I've got that I'm losing my dad, which, you know, just by the actuarial table, I'm going to lose my dad," he said.

Hunter acknowledged that his father's cancer diagnosis has made those feelings even more difficult to navigate.

The emotional conversation came as Howie questioned how Hunter manages watching someone he's so close to suffer while maintaining his own recovery.

Hunter also discussed how his father's health struggles intersect with his history of addiction.

He explained that feelings of anxiety and fear can become overwhelming, but he now recognizes the consequences of returning to substance use.

"If I use, it means that I'm choosing death," Hunter said. "I don't have any doubt in my mind about that, that there's no coming back for me for another relapse."

He emphasized that his focus remains on maintaining sobriety one day at a time.

Joe's office announced in May 2025 that the former president had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had spread to his bones.

The cancer was assigned a Gleason score of 9, indicating a high-grade form of the disease.

At the time, his office said the cancer appeared hormone-sensitive, allowing for treatment options intended to manage the illness.

The family has already experienced a devastating loss to cancer.

Hunter's older brother, Beau Biden, died in May 2015 at age 46 after battling brain cancer.

Joe has frequently discussed how Beau's death shaped his commitment to cancer research, including his work on the Cancer Moonshot initiative.