A popular metal singer is promising fans that he won’t let a little thing like cancer stop him from rocking out.
Styper frontman Michael Sweet announced Tuesday that he’s been diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer. He’s scheduled for a CT and ultrasound next week, then will meet his doctor and surgeon to “figure out a plan” of treatment.
“First, thank you all for your continued thoughts and prayers. It always means the world and I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to think of me,” Sweet wrote in a health update on Facebook. “I spoke to my endocrinologist and unfortunately the biopsy that was performed on 11/17 (a nodule in my right thyroid) came back positive. Malignant.”
Sweet said Stryper will begin recording its next album on Dec. 28. Once they “finish tracking,” he’ll undergo surgery to remove his right thyroid and the nodule itself.
Sweet said the cancer is “slow growing and something that my doctor seems very optimistic about.” He admitted that he’s been “experiencing a few issues vocally” and apologized to fans for not being able to perform at 100 percent lately.
“Even though it’s concerning to even hear the ‘C’ word (much less be diagnosed with it), I believe that it will be behind me soon enough. I’ll get in and deal with it and heal up and be ready for 2026,” Sweet said. “Please don’t worry about me as I know and trust that God has a plan.
“I’ve always felt some kind of peace in being able to ask for prayer here. Whether it’s for someone else or for myself, you always take the time to do that and it is a true blessing. It’s been a constant in my life and I believe that you all are friends. Family. I love you guys and I can’t wait to see you on the road in 2026.”
Styper currently has four concerts scheduled in 2026, beginning with an April 12 slot on the Monsters of Rock Cruise with Black Label Society, The Darkness, Night Ranger and Slaughter. No Upstate New York tour dates are currently listed.
Stryper is a Christian metal band that rose to fame during the glam metal/hard rock era of the 1980s with songs like “Honestly,” “To Hell with the Devil” and “Calling on You.” They released their 16th studio album, “When We Were Kings,” in 2024, and recently followed it up with a Christmas album, “The Greatest Gift of All.”
Sweet, 62, co-founded the Grammy-nominated group in 1983, when they were originally called Roxx Regime. He has also performed as a solo artist and a singer-guitarist for the classic rock band Boston.
