Vivian Campbell Awaiting Word on Whether His Cancer Treatment Is Working
Vivian Campbell will sit down with his doctors next month to learn whether the immunotherapy treatment he's undergoing to combat Hodgkin's lymphoma has been successful.
The Def Leppard guitarist discussed his ongoing battle with cancer during a recent visit with host Steve Raymond of Atlantic City's 100.7 WZXL, and revealed that he's still awaiting word as to whether his doses of an antibody called pembrolizumab are having the desired effect. "I don't actually know if it's working yet, to be honest. I'll find out in early December," Campbell says in the interview, which you can listen to below. "Right after Thanksgiving, we do another set of scans, and that's basically the determining time."
What that means, explained Campbell, is that "My doctors and I are gonna sit down and have a look at that and see if it's holding the cancer at bay or shrinking the tumors. If it is, I'll be able to continue this treatment for a couple of years, which will be the best possible outcome, because then I'll be able to continue to work for a couple of years. If not, then I've got to reconsider my options."
It's a nerve-wracking time, to say the least, but Campbell remains optimistic — and grateful to pembrolizumab for getting him through the last six months of Def Leppard tour dates. Saying his work is "what keeps me alive," Campbell laughed, "When I first got my diagnosis, the guys in the band, out of genuine concern for me, they said, 'You don't have to go on tour if you want. Just stay at home and look after your health.' And to be honest, I couldn't imagine anything worse. I've got to be out there and doing it."
Def Leppard's new self-titled album is out now, and they're currently scheduled to start another round of tour dates with Styx and Tesla early next year.
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