A doctor has refuted Eddie Van Halen‘s theory that he developed cancer after keeping guitar picks in his mouth during shows.
Dr. Tom Micklewright, the medical officer at the British medical consultation service Push Doctor, told Insider that Van Halen‘s health issues were likely not caused by a guitar pick.
Here’s the complete statement:
“Copper coils have been used as contraception in the human body for many years without evidence in increased cancer risk.”
“In contrast, numerous chemicals contained within cigarettes have been conclusively proven to significantly increase cancer risk, and the more likely cause of his throat cancer.”
Earlier we had come across a report from TMZ revealing Eddie’s ongoing battle with cancer.
We’ve heard Eddie has been flying between the United States and Germany to get treatment for throat cancer.
Cancer treatment has been ongoing for more than a few years.
It’s also revealed that Eddie’s main source of cancer could be his past heavy smoking habits and surprisingly also due to a metal guitar pick he used more than 20 years ago.
Back in 2000, shortly after he was diagnosed, doctors removed around 1/3 of his tongue.
According to TMZ, sources reveal over the years there were times some of the cancer cells migrated down to his throat, and doctors would scrape them out.
Eddie has been traveling to Germany for more than 5 years to get radiation treatment, and for the most part, it’s worked to keep the disease in check.
Van Halen, a legendary band that’s credited with restoring hard rock music to the forefront of the scene have been inactive for a while now. The last Van Halen album titled A Different Kind Of Truth was released back in 2012 and was hugely successful. The band toured for few years and eventually stopped touring once the album cycle ended. In the last few years, there has been a discussion on the possibility of Van Halen reuniting with classic lineup. Although this rumor has been active since 2017, it hasn’t materialized to date. The last update we had was when Sammy Hagar, who fronted the band for more than a decade, hinted about the possibility of a world tour with classic Van Halen lineup.