Megadeth leader Dave Mustaine described the moment his doctor gave him the all-clear from cancer.

He revealed his diagnosis in June last year, then reported his recovery in October. Earlier in 2020 he told a concert audience that he got through the ordeal with the help of his fans' “power.”

“They hit the cancer really hard, nine doses of chemo and 51 radiation treatments, which just beats the hell out of you,” Mustaine told Metal Hammer in a new interview. “My mouth is still messed up, but overall I feel really good.”

Looking back at the big moment, he recalled that he was in Nashville "at my doctor’s office. He had to reach down the back of my throat, which was really unpleasant, but it was important for him to feel and make sure. He said my progress was amazing, that both sides felt the same. I’ve got a metal plate in my neck that I figured might cause problems, but the doc told me, ‘Dave, you are in perfect health, 100 percent. You’re free to go.'”

He also revealed the news didn't come as a surprise to him. “It sounds bizarre, but I kind of knew,” he said. “I took good care of myself. I’d done everything my doctors told me to do. I had tons of support from family and friends. And I had lots of prayer. I don’t want to sound arrogant, but I expected it. I had faith that I was going to be healed.”

In January, Mustaine said he was "fucking pissed," rather than afraid, when told of his diagnosis. "I thought about you guys every day," he told the concert audience. "And I thought about my family. And I got this power from you guys."

 

Top 50 Metal Albums of All Time

More From Ultimate Classic Rock