Though Blaze Bayley recently revealed in an interview that his friend, former Iron Maiden singer Paul Di'Anno, was dealing with cancer, Di'Anno has checked in to reveal that is not the case. While speaking with Classic Rock magazine, Di'Anno explains that what's been ailing him of late is a non-malignant abscess and not cancer.

The 58-year-old vocalist is currently living in a care home in Salisbury, England while he recovers from a recent surgery to have the abscess removed and he says he expects to be in care for up to eight weeks.

"I collapsed at home after coming back from Argentina and a scan found a massive big black shadow on my lungs. I thought I was on my way out, but it turned out to be non-malignant," Di'Anno stated. "It was an abscess that was all infected and the size of a rugby ball. It turns out I've been living with this thing in me for the last few years. The doctors said it was an airborne thing that caused the infection and I could have picked it up anywhere. I had to go into recovery after the operation and rather than go back to my home in Sao Paulo, Brazil, I stayed here in England and I'm now in a care home."

As for Bayley's comments, Di'Anno doesn't fault the singer as he said the interview granted was out of date and Bayley was only reporting what he thought at the time, which came during a period when Di'Anno thought he could potentially be dealing with cancer.

Di'Anno, who was also plagued by issues with his knees prior to the discovery of the lung abscess, stated that he may also have to wait six months for a knee replacement operation that he needs as doctors want to make sure that he is free of infection before operating.

"I'm getting a lot of physiotherapy on my left knee, so that they can try get me back on my walking sticks again," Di'Anno says. "I've already had the other knee replaced and once this one is done I will be fine."

"It's very, very painful right now and I have been quite depressed. I'm on 30 pills a day and in a wheelchair. But everyone says I'm looking better. I'm trying to stay positive," continues the singer. "I suppose I'm pretty damn lucky, but the last six months have been hard." He went on to thank fans for all the kind words and support he's received since the news of his tour cancellation due to his ailing health was delivered in May.

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