Megadeth is currently on tour in Europe, marking the first time the band has hit the stage since vocalist Dave Mustaine's cancer diagnosis. Mustaine was diagnosed with throat cancer in June 2019. What we didn't know is that as of October 2019, Mustaine was declared 100% cancer free.
Mustaine told the crowd in London on January 31 that as of October 16, he was completely cleared by his doctor. Mustaine also reveals he had to go through 51 radiation treatments and nine chemo treatments.
“About a year ago, we were working on our new album back in Franklin, Tennessee, and I started to feel some pain over here [points to his throat]. So I went to the doctor and he said, ‘Dave, you have cancer.’ And I went, ‘Fuck! I have cancer.’ And I was so shocked.
At first, I thought, ‘Am I afraid?’ And then I said, ‘No. I’m fucking pissed.’ And we stopped the record; we stopped everything. I went into treatment for cancer. It was 51 radiation treatments and nine chemo treatments. And when it was all said and done, every day I would think, ‘I can’t face not playing again. I can’t face not playing again.’
So I would pray. 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. 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. And on October 16th, I went to go see the doctor, and he said, ‘You’re 100 percent free of cancer.'”
Watch the full show below, and catch Megadeth on tour with Five Finger Death Punch in Europe.
Feb. 03 – Berlin, Germany @ Max-Schmeling Halle [Tickets]
Feb. 04 – Hamburg, Germany @ Sporthalle [Tickets]
Feb. 06 – Frankfurt, Germany @ Festhalle [Tickets]
Feb. 08 – Oberhausen, Germany @ Koenig-Pilsener Arena [Tickets]
Feb. 09 – Stuttgart, Germany @ Schleyerhalle [Tickets]
Feb. 10 – Munich, Germany @ Olympiahalle [Tickets]
Feb. 12 – Warsaw, Poland @ Torwar [Tickets]
Feb. 14 – Prague, Czech Republic @ Tipsport Arena [Tickets]
Feb. 16 – Milan, Italy @ Alcatrazz [Tickets]
Feb. 17 – Zurich, Switzerland @ Hallenstadion [Tickets]
Feb. 19 – Vienna, Austria @ Stadthalle [Tickets]
Feb. 20 – Budapest, Hungary @ Budapest Sportarena [Tickets]
