Michael Sweet, the lead singer of 1980s Christian metal band Stryper, revealed he has been diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer and is asking for prayers as he prepares for upcoming surgery.

Sweet disclosed the diagnosis in a Facebook post on Tuesday, saying a biopsy on a nodule on his right thyroid returned positive and malignant results. He is scheduled for a CT scan and ultrasound next week before consulting with his doctor and surgeon about treatment.

“This is papillary thyroid cancer, so the good news is that it’s slow growing and something that my doctor seems very optimistic about,” Sweet wrote in his post.

The diagnosis will not derail the band’s recording schedule, according to the rocker. Stryper plans to begin work on a new album on Dec. 28, and Sweet said he will underg

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