A Rock Star Forever
- Legendary rock star Eddie Van Halen passed away in October at the age of 65 after a long battle with three separate cancers.
- He battled tongue, throat, and lung cancer over the years; he was also diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2019.
- Two main causes of throat cancer include smoking and excessive drinking; the human papillomavirus (HPV) has also been shown to cause a large number of throat cancer diagnoses.
An Incredible Cancer Journey
Van Halen passed away in October after three separate battles with cancer. He was first diagnosed with tongue cancer in 2000, where he had part of his tongue removed as a part of treatment. He was declared in remission in 2002. However, due to cancerous cells that had traveled from his tongue, Van Halen was later diagnosed with throat cancer around 2014. Van Halen had said in the past he suspects that his throat cancer was caused by putting copper and brass guitar picks in his mouth for years, and even though there's no sufficient evidence to back up these claims, his son agrees with the theory.
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Strong Family Life
Throughout his incredible career, Van Halen was constantly supported by his loving wife, Janie. In addition, his son Wolfgang, 29, was one of his biggest supporters and followed his father’s footsteps into the music industry. While appearing on the Howard Stern Show, Wolfgang debuted his new single "Distance," which he recorded in honor of Van Halen. He also released the official music video, which is a nearly 5-minute-long video completely made from home videos featuring him and his father while Van Halen's ex-wife, actress Valerie Bertinelli, films these special moments.
“I'm so happy you've found a place that's better for you than this rock we're living on," Wolfgang sings. "No matter what the distance is I will be with you. No matter what the distance is you'll be okay. No matter what the distance is I will be with you. No matter what the distance is you'll be okay."
Symptoms & Causes of Throat Cancer
The two main causes of throat cancer include smoking and excessive drinking, and Van Halen himself had said he'd been smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol since he was 12-years-old. However, studies have shown that there’s another link to what may cause throat cancer. A large number of throat cancer diagnoses can be caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. According to Dr. Ted Teknos, Scientific Director of UH Seidman Cancer Center, the rate of HPV-related head and neck cancers have gone up exponentially since the mid-90's.
"If you look at the percentage of patients who developed throat cancer, cancer of the tonsils, and the base of the tongue in the 80s compared to the 2010s, the rate of HPV-related head and neck cancers has gone up by 300%," Dr. Teknos told SurvivorNet in a previous interview. "So there is no myth. HPV causes throat cancer, and it's a sexually transmitted disease."
Currently, there's no annual screenings for throat cancer like other types of the disease. However, there are signs to look out for and consult your doctor if they happen often. Symptoms of throat cancer can include: a cough, changes in your voice, difficulty swallowing, ear pain, a lump or sore in the throat that will not heal, unexplained weight loss, and a persistent sore throat.
Dr. Ted Teknos explains how HPV is linked to throat cancer
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