Poison drummer Rikki Rockett says he prepared recordings for his children during his 2015 throat cancer treatment because doctors had discussed removing his tongue. He wanted them to have a record of his voice and hear his thoughts and advice directly from him, he told Fox News Digital.
Rockett, now 65, said chemotherapy and radiation had not stopped the cancer. He feared that losing his tongue would leave him dependent on a feeding tube and might shorten his life. He described the prospect as frightening, while acknowledging that outcomes vary among patients.
His illness began with a sore throat that did not improve when other members of his family recovered from similar symptoms. After returning to a doctor, Rockett underwent an examination with a scope. He recalled that the doctor found a suspicious area and recommended a biopsy. The diagnosis was HPV-related cancer at the base of his tongue, according to the Head and Neck Cancer Alliance information cited in the source report.
Rockett’s memoir, “Ghost Notes: My Life in Poison,” describes persistent throat pain, a swollen lymph node and difficulty swallowing. He wrote that treatment left him unable to eat solid food and eventually unable to consume food or liquids. Rockett told Fox News Digital that the cancer reached stage 4. He said he received radiation five days a week for three months and chemotherapy weekly, but the treatments did not work as hoped.
Doctors then discussed removing his tongue, according to Rockett. He wrote that he believed his odds of survival were 40 or 50 percent. Instead, he entered a clinical trial at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center involving pembrolizumab, also known as Keytruda, and epacadostat, according to UC San Diego Health information cited in the report.
Rockett said the combination produced a major response. He recalled that his first PET scan showed about 90 percent of the cancer was gone and that a subsequent scan showed no remaining cancer. He was declared free of throat cancer in July 2016. He also said treatment temporarily caused severe tongue swelling, which made him worry about choking.
His health problems continued after the throat cancer treatment. Rockett wrote that doctors became concerned about high white blood cell counts and diagnosed him with chronic myeloid leukemia, or CML. He described the diagnosis as another shock after having already faced cancer. In his memoir, he said he began medication and that the leukemia has been in remission, with no detection for a number of years. He continues to take the medication and says it has side effects.
Rockett told Fox News Digital that he has been free of throat cancer for a decade. He said radiation damaged his salivary glands, leaving him with dryness and occasional roughness in his voice. He credited his medical team with saving his life.
The drummer said his children were a central reason he kept fighting. He has since performed with Poison and his band Rockett Mafia, and said his children have attended Poison concerts. Rockett said he remains active and wants to continue playing music.
The account is based on Rockett’s comments to Fox News Digital, material from his memoir and medical information cited in the source report. His description of his treatment and prognosis is personal testimony, not general medical guidance.
