DevilDriver and Coal Chamber frontman Dez Fafara issued a new statement to clarify his recent interview about his health issues. He explained that he does not have a brain tumor and has not been diagnosed with brain cancer.
Fafara addressed what he described as widespread misinformation circulating online. He stressed that the tumor is located on his saliva gland and is non-cancerous.
“Read carefully cause press has got it wrong! A few days ago I let everyone know that for the last two years I’ve been dealing with an issue,” he said. “I DO NOT HAVE A BRAIN TUMOR. I DO NOT HAVE BRAIN CANCER. As reported and this is the problem with the internet! I have a tumor THAT’S NOT CANCER ON MY SALIVA GLAND – not on my brain.”
Fafara then went on to detail how the issue was first discovered. He traced it back to a sudden health episode before a tour.
“Two years ago on a Saturday afternoon prior to preparing for TOUR I had an episode of VERTIGO — I passed out when I awoke I was spinning and ended up in an ambulance and straight to the ER,” he continued. “After a myriad of tests and a very long day and night they put me in an MRI MACHINE — they discovered the tumor. The VERTIGO was my body saying hey ‘you need to check some shit out!'”
He also described the biopsy procedure he underwent on Christmas Eve 2024, and the relief that followed.
“On Xmas Eve 2024 is when I went in — they put a large needle in the side of my face near my ear and took cells from the tumor,” Fafara said. “As you can imagine this was very stressful — within 20 min the doctor came in and told me IT IS NOT CANCEROUS. O what a fantastic Christmas Eve that was trust me. Now, it’s in a dangerous spot and can not be operated on until it grows and in fact the last time we checked — I go in every 9 months — it had not grown, in fact may have gotten smaller. This, other than it being there, doesn’t interfere in my daily life, my performing, singing etc., only that I realize it’s there and that’s that!”
Fafara acknowledged the delicate nature of the tumor’s location while expressing a determined and positive outlook.
“It is however in a very delicate spot and at this stage would be dangerous to operate on at its current size because that area affects your smiling, your blinking, facial nerves,” he said. “I live an incredibly healthy life and my MINDSET is that I’m going to make this thing shrink/go away — which they have been known to do — and if it can be done THEN I CAN DO IT!”
Finally, Fafara explained his motivation for going public with the news. He cited his long-standing bond with the heavy metal community.
“I was asked ‘why share this with the world, why now?’ The answer is simple — for 30 years the heavy metal community, the heavy metal family have had my back and how long do you keep things from your family?” he said. “I’ve been dealing with the weight of this alone — only close family knew — but I’m inspired to tell people not to ever give up or get down about things that happen. Instead take a positive outlook and fight and deal with it. Humor helps too — let me tell you.”
Fafara continues to perform and tour with DevilDriver while monitoring his condition with regular check-ups every nine months.
Fafara first opened up about the diagnosis during an appearance on The Garza Podcast. He revealed that the tumor is located in his jawline, just above the salivary gland. Doctors have been closely monitoring the growth, which remains too small to operate on safely at this stage. Premature surgery in that region carries significant risks, including potential loss of speech and other critical functions tied to the surrounding nerves.
The caution exercised by Fafara’s medical team is consistent with standard clinical practice for salivary gland tumors. Surgery is the primary treatment for both benign and malignant salivary gland growths. When a tumor sits near the facial nerve, surgeons typically preserve the nerve whenever possible. Operating on a tumor that has not yet reached a size that allows for safe margin clearance can result in permanent damage to facial movement, including the ability to smile, blink, and speak.
The facial nerve runs directly through the parotid gland — the largest of the salivary glands — making tumors in that region particularly complex to manage. Even in cases where the tumor is benign, the proximity to nerve tissue means that timing and tumor size are critical factors in determining when intervention is appropriate. Monitoring intervals of six to nine months are standard for patients in Fafara’s situation. This allows doctors to track any changes without rushing into a high-risk procedure.
Benign salivary gland tumors have been documented to stabilize or even reduce in size over time without surgical intervention. This aligns with Fafara’s account that his tumor may have gotten smaller since it was first discovered. While spontaneous regression is not guaranteed, it is a recognized outcome in a subset of cases, particularly when the patient maintains overall good health. Fafara’s emphasis on healthy living and a positive mindset reflects an approach that, while not a substitute for medical treatment, is broadly encouraged by clinicians as part of holistic patient care.
