​Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson treated for cancer

Iron Maiden says singer Bruce Dickinson has been treated for cancer of the tongue, but hopes to be back to full fitness soon.

A statement posted Thursday on the band's official website says a cancerous tumor was discovered during a check-up in December, and Dickinson has completed a seven-week course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

It says the prognosis is "extremely good," and doctors expect Dickinson to make a full recovery, "with the all-clear envisaged by late May."

Dickinson, who is 56, joined the British metal megastars in the early 1980s, and is also a commercial airline pilot. Iron Maiden's hits include "Run to the Hills" and "The Number of the Beast."