Rhod Gilbert has revealed he has received his first clear scan after undergoing treatment for stage four cancer.

The comedian, 55, was diagnosed with head and neck cancer last July, and was treated at the Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff, where he had been a fundraising patron for a decade before the diagnosis.

He underwent surgery for metastatic cancer of the head and neck, followed by sessions of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Rhod spoke to the Radio Times, where he described finding out that his cancer hadn’t spread as ‘the best day of my life’.

He recalled: ‘I was back on the road earlier this year, I got a call to say my latest scan had shown the cancer was in the areas they knew about, but it wasn’t in my lungs or my brain.’

Wonderful news: Rhod Gilbert has revealed he has received his first clear scan after undergoing treatment for stage four cancer (pictured in 2016)

Wonderful news: Rhod Gilbert has revealed he has received his first clear scan after undergoing treatment for stage four cancer (pictured in 2016)

Wonderful news: Rhod Gilbert has revealed he has received his first clear scan after undergoing treatment for stage four cancer (pictured in 2016)

Tough time: The comedian, 55, was diagnosed with head and neck cancer last July, and was treated at the Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff, where he had been a fundraising patron for a decade before the diagnosis

Tough time: The comedian, 55, was diagnosed with head and neck cancer last July, and was treated at the Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff, where he had been a fundraising patron for a decade before the diagnosis

Tough time: The comedian, 55, was diagnosed with head and neck cancer last July, and was treated at the Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff, where he had been a fundraising patron for a decade before the diagnosis

Treatment: He underwent surgery for metastatic cancer of the head and neck, followed by sessions of chemotherapy and radiotherapy (pictured in 2021)

Treatment: He underwent surgery for metastatic cancer of the head and neck, followed by sessions of chemotherapy and radiotherapy (pictured in 2021)

Treatment: He underwent surgery for metastatic cancer of the head and neck, followed by sessions of chemotherapy and radiotherapy (pictured in 2021)

He then had his first clear scan, saying: ‘The best thing was that the tumour had gone, and it was once again an ordinary blood vessel.’

Thrilled: Rhod spoke to the Radio Times, where he described finding out that his cancer hadn't spread as 'the best day of my life'

Thrilled: Rhod spoke to the Radio Times, where he described finding out that his cancer hadn't spread as 'the best day of my life'

Thrilled: Rhod spoke to the Radio Times, where he described finding out that his cancer hadn’t spread as ‘the best day of my life’

Rhod’s experience has been captured in his upcoming Channel 4 documentary Rhod Gilbert: A Pain In The Neck.

The programme follows the Welshman from his diagnosis and treatment through intimate video diaries.

Describing the decision to film his cancer journey, Rhod said: ‘I was lying in bed on the Friday, with my treatment due to start the following Monday.

‘I rang the team I knew – there was no broadcaster on board, it was all on spec – and I asked, “How would you fancy joining me on this journey?”

‘It was partly for me. I’d cancelled all my TV work and tours, and I wanted to have something other than “cancer” in my diary.

‘I knew I wouldn’t be well enough to go on stage or TV, but I thought I might be well enough to lie in bed and talk to a documentary team about how ill I was. I thought, “It will give me something to do”.’

The documentary is set to air on Monday October 30, as part of Channel 4’s Stand Up To Cancer campaign.

Earlier this year, Rhod revealed that he ‘ironically’ first found the tumour in his neck while he was in Cuba on a trek to fundraise for Velindre Cancer Centre charity, where he then became a patient.

He returned to screens for the first time since his diagnosis in February as he made a moving speech during the National Comedy Awards, which was in aid of Stand Up 2 Cancer.

Speaking in the pre-recorded segment from his home, he revealed he struggled to ‘speak or breathe’ after finding a lump on his neck. 

Rhod said: ‘I couldn’t speak or breathe and I was postponing and cancelling tour shows, I had terrible spasms in my face and a lot of tightness in my muscles. 

‘Couldn’t get to the bottom of it, turns out after a biopsy of this lump in my neck that I have something called head and neck cancer, cancer of the head, sounded pretty serious.’

Rhod admitted that his diagnosis ‘p***ed him off’ as he joked he thought he would have ‘life-long immunity’ after spending 10 years as a patron for a cancer centre.

He said: ‘I’ve led five fundraising treks all over the world, I do stand-up comedy nights to raise money, I hosted quizzes… it’s been a big part of my life for the last 10 years, so imagine my surprise when I was diagnosed with cancer.

‘Which p***ed me off no end, because I thought I’d have life-long immunity! Apparently not. 

‘Apparently you’re just as likely to get cancer even if you spend your time fundraising for a cancer hospital. Anyway, I did get it, and it turns out it can come for anybody.’

He added: ‘The other irony is that I was in Cuba on a trek, fundraising for this cancer centre when the first b****y lump popped up in my neck. I literally left as a patron and came back as a patient.’

Last month, Rhod announced he is planning to return to the stage and is in the midst of planning a 2024 comedy tour, after admitting ‘life’s too short’.

His last tour, Book Of John, ran from 2019 to June 2023, due to interruptions with his health and the pandemic.

In an interview on BBC Radio Wales, Rhod said he was very grateful to the Velindre Cancer Centre for ‘getting me back on my feet’.

He added: ‘My new attitude is that life’s too short, you’ve got to crack on and do these things.’

He continued: ‘I’ve been scribbling away, I’ve got a few ideas and I’ve been trying some stuff out.

‘I think I’m going to tour again next year, it’s all taking shape at the moment.’

Rhod has also said he will use his cancer diagnosis as standup material, because he thinks about his cancer 24/7 but added there is ‘humour in it.’

Speaking to The Guardian, he confessed: ‘It does feel weird. I don’t know how much to talk about the cancer. I haven’t really worked out what to say.

‘I’m really aware of mental health now and I’m checking in with myself every day. I feel fine, weirdly. I’m happy, optimistic and hopeful that next year it’ll all come good.

‘When I get through this, the next show will be in a similar vein. The cancer is on my mind 24/7, but, when I’m well enough to write, I’m jotting down a few things. And there is humour in there, definitely.’

WHAT IS HEAD AND NECK CANCER? 

Head and neck cancer is an umbrella term for cancers of the nose, mouth, throat, voice box, thyroid and salivary glands.

It is the eighth most common form of cancer in the UK with over 12,000 cases diagnosed each year. 

There are more than 30 areas within the head and neck where the cancer can develop including the mouth, lips, voice box, throat and saliva glands.

Mouth cancer is the most common type of head and neck cancer, while laryngeal can develop in the tissue of the voice box.

Thyroid cancer, brain tumours, eye cancer and oesophageal cancer are not normally classified as types of head and neck cancers.

Source: NHS

Source

You May Also Like

Study unlocks some muscle cell secrets

A muscle fiber consists of just one cell, but many nuclei. A…

US Covid deaths increase by 13% over the past seven days with 1,953 Americans dying daily

Covid deaths are continuing to rise in the U.S., even as cases…

BBC journalist, 30, ended up fighting for her life in hospital with sepsis

A BBC journalist ended up in hospital after failing to spot her…

UMass students drinking ‘blackout rage gallons’ rushed to hospital

About 30 University of Massachusetts students attending a St. Patrick’s Day party…