Tony Iommi: 'Cancer is in remission'

Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi says that his cancer is finally in remission.

Iommi first learned he was suffering from the early stages of lymphoma in early 2012 and has been undergoing treatment on and off since that time. While he worked throughout the ordeal with the reunited Black Sabbath, it was decided that the band would do one final tour due to Tony's health issues.

The Birmingham Mail talked with Iommi on the occasion of the unveiling of a plaque where he was treated, the Solihull's Spire Park Hospital.

Iommi said that his cancer is officially in remission but that there is a road ahead of him that will last the rest of his lifetime. "I am in remission and hopefully, this situation will continue. The chemotherapy and the follow-up treatment appear to have done the trick, but I'm aware that it could come back one day. I have a blood test every six weeks at my GP's, and I come in here at regular intervals for check-ups. That's something that I'll have to live with for the rest of my life, looking for any warning signs that it might be rearing its ugly head again."

Tony, along with Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward, formed Black Sabbath in 1969. Over the years, the lineup of the group has changed at all positions except for guitar where Iommi has stayed for the last 47 years.

VVN Music