Iron Maiden Singer Reveals Cancer Battle, ‘Extremely Good’ Prognosis
Iron Maiden have revealed that frontman Bruce Dickinson has been undergoing cancer treatments since just before Christmas. Tests and biopsies associated with a routine medical checkup showed a small tumor on the back of the singer’s tongue, the band wrote on its website. Yesterday, the vocalist completed a seven-week course of chemotherapy and radiology treatment.
The group reports that Dickinson’s prognosis is “extremely good,” since the tumor was caught in early stages. The frontman’s doctors expect to give him the “all clear” by late May. After that, Dickinson will need a few more months to get back to normal.
“We would ask for your patience, understanding and respect for Bruce and his family’s privacy until we update everyone by the end of May,” Iron Maiden wrote collectively in a statement. “Bruce is doing very well considering the circumstances, and the whole team is very positive.”
Last year, the singer made headlines for his daredevilry. At the Sonisphere festival in England last year, the singer – who is an aviation enthusiast – participated in a reenactment of a World War I dogfight in a 100-year-old plane over the festival grounds. Video of the airshow offered scenes from the 12-minute display from all angles, including Dickinson’s cockpit.
He also indulged his interest in air travel last year by investing a reported $450,000 in the “world’s longest aircraft,” the Hybrid Air Vehicle. “It’s a game-changer, in terms of things we can have in the air and things we can do,” Dickinson told the BBC last March. “The airship has always been with us; it’s just been waiting for the technology to catch up.”