It's frightening and that is why I feel down... No one is immune, not the kids I saw today, not Rod Stewart

Rod Stewart

"Seven months, no voice. Eight months, no voice. I could talk but not sing," he told The Sun newspaper.

"It only came back to its former glory about four weeks ago - nine months after the operation."

The father-of-five, who is now promoting a Californian cancer treatment centre, said he was lucky his cancer was spotted early.

He said: "If I had left it a couple of years, it would have been a different story."

Fundraising concerts

He is now hoping to raise awareness of the importance of early detection.

"I was lucky and I'm extra vigilant. It makes me want to tell everybody that they should get checked."

Stewart has promised to perform in fund-raising concerts for the cancer centre, City of Hope.

Speaking after a visit, he said: "I went and saw the nurses and children, and to see a shrivelled-up child about to have his leg cut off sitting there with his parents is very moving.

"It's frightening and that is why I feel down at the moment. No one is immune, not the kids I saw today, not Rod Stewart."