When Megadeth's Dave Mustaine revealed he was diagnosed with throat cancer in June of last year, he said he had already begun treatment. He's back on the road now and, at a recent gig in London (Jan. 31), addressed the crowd and outlined his treatment regimen, also confirming he is "100 percent free of cancer," per his doctor.

The band's touring was put on ice in 2019 as Mustaine focused on his recovery, while also using the time to work on new material for Megadeth's follow-up to 2016's Dystopia. It wasn't clear, however, exactly when the frontman learned of the diagnosis, which he cleared up when informing the London audience, "About a year ago, we were working on our new album back in Franklin, Tennessee, and I started to feel some pain. I went to the doctor and he said, ‘Dave, you have cancer.' And I went, 'Fuck! I have cancer.' And I was so shocked."

Recollecting his initial reaction, Mustaine continued, "At first, I thought, 'Am I afraid?' And then I said, 'No. I'm fucking pissed.' We stopped the record – we stopped everything. I went into treatment for cancer."

The treatment totaled 51 rounds of radiation and nine chemotherapy sessions. Determined to see his way through it and return to his band, the Megadeth leader leaned on prayer to guide him past the obstacles. "When it was all said and done, every day I would think, 'I can't face not playing again,' so I would pray," he told the crowd.

Prayer isn't something Mustaine has been shy about, which he noted when adding, "I know a lot of you guys know that I pray. I say that in 'Peace Sells.' I pray every day. I say that in the song. I've said it since the second record."

Coupled with prayer, Mustaine felt the love from his fans around the world, channeling that energy into strength as well when he said, "But I thought about you guys every day, too. And I thought about my family. And I got this power from you guys. And I just kept thinking about it."

Less than a year after receiving the diagnosis, Mustaine got the best news possible, telling an overjoyed London arena, "On October 16, I went to go see the doctor, and he said, 'You're 100 percent free of cancer.'"

Megadeth's European tour supporting Five Finger Death Punch wraps up on Feb. 20. See the remaining stops here. It's been an exciting run for the band, who also welcomed Mustaine's daughter Electra onstage to sing "A Tout Le Monde" at an earlier stop in France.

In addition to an eventual new record, fans can look forward to Mustaine's forthcoming book, Building the Perfect Beast, which recounts the story of making the revered Rust in Peace record. Look for that to be released later in the year.

Megadeth, Live in London — Jan. 31, 2020

 

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