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Composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber diagnosed with cancer
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October 25th, 2009 - A spokeswoman for Andrew Lloyd Webber has indicated that the musical composer has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. The announcement was "the condition is in its very early stages. Andrew is now undergoing treatment and expects to be fully back at work before the end of the year." The cancer diagnosis comes as he announced a much anticipated Phantom sequel.
According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America, affecting 1 in 6 men. A non-smoking man is more likely to develop prostate cancer than he is to develop colon, bladder, melanoma, lymphoma and kidney cancers combined. In fact, a man is 35% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than a woman is to be diagnosed with breast cancer. In 2009, more than 192,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and more than 27,000 men will die from the disease. One new case occurs every 2.7 minutes and a man dies from prostate cancer every 19 minutes. It is estimated that there are more than 2 million American men currently living with prostate cancer.
In some patients, prostate cancer is slow growing and may not affect them at all. In others, it is aggressive and deadly without prompt treatment. If the cancer is localized in the prostate gland, the treatment options include surgical removal of the prostate, radiation therapy or surveillance, where the cancer is monitored and radical treatment only started if it appears that the cancer is growing. Radical surgical removal often has side-effects, such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction. However, newer nerve sparing techniques is reducing these effects. It is unknown at this time what Webber’s treatment will be.
Lloyd Webber, who turned 61 in March, recently announced plans for a sequel to "Phantom of the Opera." Called "Love Never Dies," it is scheduled to open in London in March 2010 and Broadway in November 2010. He said the sequel resulted from "unfinished business." Phantom premiered 2 decades ago in 1986. It was inspired by the 1911 Gaston Leroux novel. Webber wrote the part of Christine for his then wife, singer Sarah Brightman. She played the role in both London and Broadway alongside Michael Crawford who played the Phantom. It has been seen by more then 100 million people, and in January 2006 it overtook Cats as the longest running musical on Broadway.
Webber other accomplishments include Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats and Evita to name a few. At home in England, he was knighted in 1992 and named to Britain's House of Lords in 1997. Let us hope that in 2009, his most important accomplishment will be beating prostate cancer.
Studies have shown that lifestyle has a significant influence in prostate cancer prevention and treatment. This pdf guide presents the latest information for men who want to maintain a lifestyle that promotes prostate health: GUIDE
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