Rob Halford, frontman for Judas Priest, has recently shared that he is currently in remission after being diagnosed with cancer in 2020. The musician was diagnosed last year with prostate cancer and was treated for it in the spring of 2020. He was treated once again during the earlier months of this year.
“I had my little cancer battle a year ago, which I got through and that’s in remission now, thank God. That happened while we were all locked down, so things happen for a reason as far as time sequence of events. I have nothing but gratitude to be at this point in my life, still doing what I love most,” said Halford in an interview with Heavy Consequence.
In July of 2020, Halford received a prostatectomy surgery to remove the cancer. The surgery was an alternative to radiation therapy. However, the surgery was not entirely successful as the cancer was discovered again earlier this year. This time, Halford chose to receive radiation treatments. As of June, he has been clear of the prostate cancer.
Halford claims that his cancer diagnosis came nearly three years after he first experienced symptoms back in 2017. Since then, extensive testing had been done to then eventually lead to his diagnosis in 2020. “I felt a combination of shock, horror, and oddly, relief — at least now I know!…’Am I going to die?’ It was all I could think of. I know blokes who’ve died of prostate cancer. ‘No, you’re not going to die, Rob,’ said Dr. Ali.”
The Judas Priest frontman elaborates on his experience with the diagnosis in his memoir titled Confess. The newest chapter, which focuses on his prostate cancer, was added to the recently updated paperback edition.