Queen Guitarist Brian May Undergoes Tests for Cancer

Queen guitarist Brian May has revealed he has undergone tests for cancer and other ailments.

May, who shared the news on his official website, brianmay.com, said he went to see his doctor over the Christmas holiday due to intense pain that left him unable to stand up.

MRI scans revealed "abnormalities" in his bones.

"So around Christmas I've been having a succession of blood tests, ultrasounds and various kinds of scans, to see if they could rule out various kinds of cancer," he wrote. "Now, on hearing the 'C' word something happens inside you ... of course. I've seen so many of my dear friends fighting it ... and my Dad lost his battle at age 66, exactly the age I am now.

"Over the last few days I've been in various states of unrest. But the great thing has been that the team my GP assembled to check out the possibilities has moved Heaven and Earth to gather all the information I need quickly over the Christmas period ... not an easy time."

On December 30, May thanked his fans for their support.

"I've been overwhelmed by the amazing messages you've been sending me, folks, since I wrote about my 'Health Scare'," he wrote.

"It's taken me by surprise — for many reasons. I really didn't realize how much you guys were gunning for me ... it's great to know that, and I can't thank you enough. It puts a smile on my face. But I didn't realize that biting the bullet and mentioning the 'C' word would unlock such an avalanche. I now realize that so many of you have been wrestling with this all along, personally, or in family or friends, and, like me, found it hard to share. Hearing of your experiences, and courage, and hopes, and solutions, has been a massive eye-opener for me."

GuitarWorld.com readers (with some input from the guitarist's fan club) voted May the second-greatest guitarist of all time in a 2012 readers poll. You can check out the complete results here.