According to TMZ, Guitar legend Eddie Van Halen has been quietly flying between the United States and Germany to get treatment for throat cancer for years.
As for how Eddie believes his cancer has been caused from metal guitar picks he used more than 20 years ago. Seems Eddie would stick the pick in his mouth while he used his fingers for his signature tapping technique – never mind the fact that Van Halen was a heavy smoker for many years. Back in 2000, shortly after he was diagnosed, doctors removed around 1/3 of his tongue.
Sources with direct knowledge over the years say there were times some of the cancer cells migrated down to his throat, and doctors would scrape them out.
Eddie has reportedly flown to Germany for 5 years to get radiation treatment, and for the most part it's worked to keep the disease in check.
As for his current condition ... there are lots of rumors, but people who know him say he's seems to be doing okay -- at least on the surface. But it should be noted that the guitarist’s former wife Valerie Bertinelli – who Eddie shares a son, Wolfgang with – has recently been by to visit the guitarist, perhaps for the last time. Stay tuned.