Julian Lennon: Son of Beatles legend John Lennon reveals cancer diagnosis after emergency surgery

Sharing his experience on Twitter, the 61-year-old musician said he was diagnosed with melanoma, a type of skin cancer which may begin in a mole (skin melanoma), but can also begin in other pigmented tissues, such as in the eye or in the intestines.

Lennon revealed that a routine visit to his dermatologist, Dr Tess, led to the discovery of two concerning spots on his skin. One of the spots, located on his forearm, was confirmed as melanoma and required immediate surgical intervention.

"Hi Folks, Well, here’s how this goes… Before I flew to New York from Los Angeles, for Good Morning America, Sirius XM, iHeart Radio & my Fotografiska Q&A Book Signing Event, I went to see, as I usually do when in LA, my lovely dermatologist—Dr Tess, who caught and operated on my mole/skin cancer a few years ago and literally saved my life," Lennon wrote.

He continued: "After having just finished GMA, I received a message from Dr. Tess, with some urgency to return to Los Angeles, as I had 2 locations on my skin, shoulder and forearm, one of which was melanoma, that should be operated on ASAP!"

Lennon explained that he immediately flew back to Los Angeles after completing his commitments in New York and went straight into surgery upon arrival. The procedure lasted several hours. "The operation was a success, but we have yet to have the results of the biopsy, which we may not receive before Christmas," he wrote.

Lennon added: "First of all, I’m very thankful to Dr Tess and Dr Tim for being able to coordinate this surgery at such short notice, but for once again, hopefully saving my life. One can never be too confident in circumstances like this, but we all believe that Dr. Tim has saved the day… So fingers crossed for now."

The musician also emphasised the importance of early detection, urging his followers to get regular health checks. He said: "This is also a timely reminder to all, to please get yourself checked out by your doctor. It only takes a short while to do so, and you may just be saving your own life, at the end of the day. So please, for the sake of yourself, your family, and friends, just go to your doctor and do what must be done.

Hoping for good news, Lennon said a clear biopsy would be "the best Christmas present ever" and concluded his message with warm holiday wishes: "I love life and I want to live for a very long time, and this is one way, and a choice, that could determine your future. I wish you all happy holidaze and a healthy, long life."