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Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh Confirms Prostate Cancer

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Oct 30, 2006 2:37 pm US/Eastern

Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh Confirms Prostate Cancer

NEW YORK (AP) ― Former Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh has revealed that he has prostate cancer.

"Since we've caught it very early, and it's small and slow-growing, I fully expect to have a rapid and complete recovery," Lesh, 66, says in a statement on his Web site. He plans to have surgery in early December.

Lesh says he's been monitored by "a crack team of doctors" since his 1998 liver transplant. One doctor noticed recently that he had elevated levels of prostate specific antigens (PSA), proteins produced by cells of the prostate gland. High PSA levels can indicate prostate cancer.

A biopsy confirmed the diagnosis, Lesh said.

"I am feeling energetic as always, and all my scheduled appearances will occur as planned," he tells fans. The statement was posted Thursday.

(© 2006 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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