Various sources are reporting that legendary Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen is suffering from throat cancer which he believes he contracted after years of sucking on his metal guitar pick.
He was diagnosed with cancer nearly 20 years ago and has been travelling between the United States and Germany for treatment, said TMZ in a report.
Back in 2000, shortly after he was diagnosed, doctors removed around 1/3 of his tongue.
Sources told TMZ that Eddie has flown to Germany for 5 years to get radiation treatment, and for the most part it’s worked to keep the disease in check.
Eddie‘s friend and TOTO guitarist Steve Lukather told The Eddie Trunk Podcast that there are some health issues involved within Van Halen brothers which are preventing the band from the reunion tour which was supposed to happen this year.
“There’s been some health issues that they’re dealing with and stuff like that.”
He continued: “We’re older guys now, and to go on the road, and stuff like that, it requires a lot of extra effort in terms of as a human being.”