October 8, 2009 3:15

Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch is 'healthy, strong and hopeful' he has beaten cancer

Rapper gives fans an update on his recovery

Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch is "healthy, strong and hopeful" that he has beaten cancer.

In a email he sent to fans via the group's official mailing list, Yauch revealed he sought help from Tibetan doctors.

"I'm feeling healthy, strong and hopeful that I've beaten this thing, but of course time will tell," said Yauch. "I'm taking Tibetan medicine and at the recommendation of the Tibetan doctors I've been eating a vegan/organic diet, surprisingly enough [that] was harder to do in India than it is now that I'm back home."

Also talking about their new album 'Hot Sauce Committee Part 1', which was due on September 15 but was postponed after Yauch revealed he had cancer, the rapper gave an update on its release.

"We have not set a new release date for the record yet, but I'm hoping it'll be in the first half of next year," he explained.

Yauch who was diagnosed with the disease back in July, had a cancerous tumour from his left parotid gland removed shortly after.