Musician Elvis Costello, 67, Feeling ‘Fine’ and ‘Fortunate’ After ‘Aggressive’ Prostate Cancer Battle: ‘I'm Tickety Boo’

He goes on to add: “I couldn't even presume to place myself in the class of people who had an illness (whereas) I had a misfortune. I'm good, and thank you for asking."

It was in 2018 that Costello learned he had what he referred to at the time as "a small but very aggressive cancerous malignancy that could be defeated by a single surgery."

He was able to get surgery and a clean bill of health in time to return to his tour after taking the recommended "three weeks to four weeks recovery."

However, he quickly discovered that the recovery time for a touring musician is a bit different and was forced to reschedule some tour dates that summer.

In that announcement, Costello also encouraged his male fans to get screenings.

"Take very good care of your loved ones, but Gentleman, do talk to your friends – you’ll find you are not alone – seek your doctor’s advice if you are in doubt or when it is timely and act as swiftly as you may in these matters," said Costello. "It may save your life. Believe me; it is better than playing roulette."

That was the most he had spoken about the disease until this recent interview, where the singer did his best to keep his remarks brief.

After saying be was “fine,” Costello moves on saying that he does not like to "dwell" on the topic given the fact that "the experience of so many friends has been more challenging than anything I've faced."

However, he does also note that he is thrilled that he has been able to spend more time with his wife Diana Krall and their 14-year-old twin boys, Dexter and Frank.

And he closes things out with a touching tribute to his mother, who died at the age of 93 in February, saying: "She was in the game of life and music as long as she physically could be."

Treating Prostate Cancer With Surgery, Radiation

Costello has never spoken in depth about his treatment plan. Still, most men who find prostate cancer in its early stages can make a quick recovery after surgery or radiation therapy or a combination of the two.

Unlike chemotherapy, radiation is far more targeted and kills cancer cells with high-energy beams. Radiation therapy is currently used to treat breast cancer, bowel cancer, uterine cancer, skin cancers, and prostate cancer, to name a few.

How Radiation Is Used to Treat Prostate Cancer

“So radiation plays a very important part in the treatment of prostate cancer patients across the entire spectrum of the disease, from a patient that has very, very early, localized, and highly curable disease to patients that have had, years of the disease and it’s widely spread, and they need radiation for palliative purpose,” explains Dr. Patrick Swift, clinical professor of radiation oncology at Stanford.

The radiation used is tailored to each patient’s specific needs.

For instance, a patient who is newly diagnosed with cancer, would be informed that radiation is potentially one of the options for their treatment.

“It’s helpful to be able to explain to the patient how we make the recommendations for radiation and what the alternatives to radiation are,” notes Dr. Swift. “We then look at what the different side effects of the treatment area and the expected success rates, and then try to help the patient decide as to which treatment approach best fits their needs.”

Tips For Getting Through The Next Stage After Prostate Cancer Diagnosis

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