Saxon 's Biff Byford revealed last Friday, the 15th, that he underwent surgery to remove "a small tumor" from his prostate. The emergency surgery, as well as chemotherapy, forced the cancellation of ten of the band's shows scheduled for the summer of 2025.
Biff released a video message explaining that he underwent surgery to remove a tumor in his prostate . However, the musician revealed this Tuesday, the 19th, that he was actually diagnosed with bowel cancer. A cancer found in any part of the large intestine, including the colon and rectum.
Biff posted the following message on social media:
“First of all, thank you all for the wonderful messages of support. It really means a lot to me. Following Friday’s post, I would like to clarify a few things that seem to have been somewhat misinterpreted. Firstly, I would like to quickly clarify that I actually have bowel cancer, not prostate cancer, although I have had a prostate exam. Also, as reported in some media outlets, we have not postponed all of our upcoming shows, only those that coincided with my chemotherapy sessions.”
The musician also provided an update on Saxon's shows:
“All special dates for our Hell, Fire & Steel UK and Ireland tour in November are still on schedule. There aren’t many tickets left for these shows, so secure yours quickly to avoid disappointment. This will be the last time we play our classic Wheels Of Steel from start to finish in the UK. We will also be playing Metal Hammer Paradise in Lübeck, Germany in November. Any rescheduled shows will also be announced here soon. Thank you again for all your incredible support.”
Biff Byford has a tumor removed.
In a statement released last week, Biff Byford explained the cancellation of the shows and gave an update on his new album: “So, yeah, sorry, because we hate to cancel shows, but I want you to know what’s going on, because a lot of people speculated that it was my heart and things like that. So, they found a small tumor and removed it immediately. So, yeah, the prognosis — I think that’s the right word — is good. My healing is progressing. I’m feeling good at the moment.”
So, yes, I'm writing the next Saxon album, finalizing the album, doing the arrangements, writing the lyrics and melodies. That's the advantage of having free time. Obviously, I've lost quite a bit of weight, which is also an advantage. So, see you in November. And keep the faith. Have a fantastic summer, and I'll keep you updated on what's happening. Okay? So, that's it, let's go. Peace and quiet.”
In September 2019, Biff suffered a heart attack and underwent emergency triple bypass surgery. In August 2024, he underwent another surgery to treat atrial flutter, a type of heart rhythm abnormality, or arrhythmia, that causes the upper chambers of the heart (atria) to beat too fast.
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