Poison drummer Rikki Rockett faced a dire situation with his cancer diagnosis. Initial treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation, proved ineffective. The threat of having his tongue removed loomed large. Rockett started recording messages for his children, wanting them to remember his voice and hear his advice firsthand.
During cancer treatment, he experienced dramatic weight loss, dropping to 161 pounds. The prospect of losing his tongue made Rockett doubt his survival chances. “I would’ve most likely had a feeding tube,” he noted, acknowledging the survival challenge he faced.
Rockett, now cancer-free for a decade, shares his journey in his memoir “Ghost Notes: My Life in Poison.” The book details his climb to fame during the ’80s and his battle against cancer.
The Diagnosis and Treatment
In 2015, Rockett and his family suffered from sore throats. Antibiotics helped everyone but him. His doctor found something suspicious during a throat examination, leading to a biopsy. Rockett was diagnosed with HPV-related throat cancer, impacting the base of his tongue. Pain and a swollen lymph node plagued him for over a month, complicating eating and drinking.
“Before long, I couldn’t eat solid food anymore. My weight dropped dramatically.” – Rikki Rockett
Despite receiving radiation and chemotherapy, his cancer progressed to stage 4. Doctors considered removing his tongue. Rockett refused defeat and participated in a clinical trial at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center. The experimental drug combination worked well for him.
A New Hope
The trial involved pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and epacadostat. By July 2016, Rockett was declared free of throat cancer. His journey wasn’t easy, with complications from treatment like severe tongue swelling. But a promising PET scan showed a significant cancer reduction.
Despite this victory, Rockett faced chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), linked to the Philadelphia chromosome. This new diagnosis unsettled him, but his hematologist offered reassurance. She described CML as treatable and sometimes curable. Rockett’s treatment continued with new medication, and his CML is now in complete remission.
Reflections and the Future
Rockett attributes his cancer survival to his medical team. “They actually saved my life,” he said. Today, Rockett lives with treatment side effects, like dry mouth from radiation-damaged salivary glands, but remains cancer-free. He focuses on the positives, cherishing time spent watching his children grow.
Rockett continues to perform with his band, Rockett Mafia, declaring, “I still got stuff to do.” His fight against cancer was, in large part, for his children. Enjoying life and performing for his kids fulfill his wish to make the most of his second chance.
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