Def Leppard guitarist Viv Campbell says he’ll have to wait until next month to discover if his latest treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma has been a success.
He’s been battling the disease throughout the recording process of Def Leppard’s self-titled 11th album. And he says he’s hopeful of good news come December.
He tells radio station 100.7 WZXL: “I’m taking this drug called pembrolizumab. I’m part of a phase two clinical trial. I don’t actually know if it’s working yet. I’ll find out in early December.
“My doctors and I are going to sit down and have a look and see if it’s holding the cancer at bay or shrinking the tumours. If it is, I’ll be able to continue this treatment for a couple of years, which will be the best possible outcome. If not, then I’ve got to reconsider my options.
“But I’m hopeful. I started this treatment six months ago, and it’s been fantastic because it meant I was able to continue working as opposed to doing a more traditional treatment which would have meant I would have had to miss the tour.
“And work for me is catharsis. It’s very important to me to be up there on stage doing it, and that’s what keeps me alive.”
The band have also released the first commentary video focusing on the new album, which is out now via a Classic Rock fanpack. View the clip below.