LOS ANGELES, Feb 15: Andy Taylor, founding member of Duran Duran and guitarist, is battling his stage 4 prostate cancer “as hard as he can,” according to his bandmates.

The 63-year-old musician first revealed his diagnosis in November 2022, stating that his cancer was “asymptomatic” after initially being diagnosed in 2018. At a press conference during the Sanremo Music Festival in Italy, Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon shared that Taylor’s diagnosis was “very late, fourth-stage metastasized cancer.” Taylor, who was unable to attend the band’s induction ceremony, had Le Bon read a letter on his behalf.

Following the announcement, Taylor addressed his fans, saying he had been told that he would need “palliative, end-of-life care.”

During his appearance at the festival, Le Bon discussed the enduring bond within the band, explaining that they have remained together for so many years without disputes over money. “There is something between us that keeps us together,” he said. “First of all, we love the music we make together. Nobody else makes music like we do. We’ve all tried to do things on our own, and it just doesn’t seem as exciting as when the four of us get together and work.”

Le Bon also emphasized the importance of humor within the band. “We make each other laugh, and I think that’s very important in a long relationship. When we are under stress, we laugh all the way through it, and it keeps everything light and fun,” he said.

He continued, “And the other thing is, we split all the proceeds equally. No one takes all the publishing. We all share the finances equally.”

In a 2023 interview with The Times of London, Taylor shared that a doctor introduced him to a breakthrough cancer treatment, a “nuclear medicine” called Lutetium-177, designed to target cancer cells. He revealed that in August 2023, the treatment extended his life “for five years.”

After undergoing a round of this treatment with Dr. Christopher Evans, whom Taylor described as the “Elon Musk of cancer,” the musician was “radioactive for several days.”

Taylor explained, “I was classified as palliative, end-of-life care… and now I’m not. I’m asymptomatic.” At that time, he added that he couldn’t sleep in the same room as others or use public transportation due to the radioactive treatment.

Reflecting on his earlier emotional struggles, Taylor recalled, “You’re gonna have to say goodbye to your family. You’re not going to see your grandson’s tenth birthday. Psychologically it’s mind-blowing — you can’t have therapy to remove the certainty of death.”

Taylor had initially declined chemotherapy treatment because he didn’t want to risk nerve damage to his hands, which are critical for his guitar playing.

He also explained why he kept his diagnosis a secret for years, stating that he wanted his grown-up children “to be able to go about life without anyone persistently asking about my health.”