Founding Duran Duran member and guitarist Andy Taylor says he’s now “asymptomatic” after previously receiving “palliative, end-of-life care” following his cancer diagnosis.
The 62-year-old musician revealed his stage 4 prostate cancer diagnosis last November, saying he was initially diagnosed in 2018.
Speaking to The Times, Taylor explained that the dramatic U-turn happened after a doctor told him about a breakthrough cancer drug, dubbed “a nuclear medicine” called Lutetium-177, that targets cancer cells.
After undergoing a round of the said treatment conducted by Christopher Evans, whom Taylor referred to as the “Elon Musk of cancer,” the rocker was “radioactive for several days.”
“I was classified as palliative, end-of-life care… and now I’m not. I’m asymptomatic,” he told the outlet, adding that he was unable to sleep in the same room as others, or use public transportation.
Taylor completed one round of treatment and will have five more rounds to follow that will take place every six weeks.
“The lowest point is maybe six weeks after the diagnosis, when it really sinks in,” the Brit explained, adding that he was feeling very down by the limited treatment options.
“You’re gonna have to say goodbye to your family. You’re not going to see your grandson’s tenth birthday. Psychologically it’s mind-blowing — you can’t have therapy to remove the certainty of death,” he added.
The rocker refused chemotherapy treatment early on because he didn’t want any nerve damage done to his hands — a sacred arsenal for a guitarist.
Explaining the decision to keep his diagnosis a secret for years, Taylor said he wanted his grown-up children “to be able to go about life without anyone persistently asking about my health.”
Earlier this month, Taylor said that the aforementioned breakthrough cancer drug extended his life “for five years.”
A scientist told him that the medicine “is targeted, so it only sees cancer cells.”
“It can’t see healthy cells,” Taylor told BBC News revealing he had his first round of the drug six weeks ago. “It kills stage four cancer in your bones. And so what it’s effectively done is extend my life for five years.”
The rocker revealed his diagnosis in 2022 through his bandmates Simon Le Bo, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, and Roger Taylor, who read out a letter at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction speech in Los Angeles.
Taylor was unable to attend the band’s induction ceremony, but frontman Le Bon read a letter on behalf of the musician.
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