Beastie Boy 'hopeful' over cancer

Adam Yauch is also known as MCA

Beastie Boy Adam Yauch has said he is "hopeful" he has beaten cancer after returning from a visit to Tibetan doctors in India.

Yauch was diagnosed in July and had surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from his left salivary gland.

"I'm feeling healthy, strong and hopeful that I've beaten this thing, but of course time will tell," he told fans in an email.

Yauch is now back in America and enjoying "downtime" with his family.

The Beastie Boy travelled to a Tibetan community in Dharamsala in India after surgery.

He told fans: "I'm taking Tibetan medicine and at the recommendation of the Tibetan doctors I've been eating a vegan/organic diet."

Nunnery visit

He has also attended a three-day teaching course with the Dalai Lama and spent time visiting a nunnery.

He revealed he sponsors a "few" nuns at the Jamyang Choling convent: "They did a Puja (religious ceremony) for me to help me get well.

"One nun said to me: 'We do prayers and then you are better'. So I've got that going for me, which is nice."

Yauch posted a video on the Beastie Boys website in July announcing he had cancer. The band then cancelled their tour and postponed the release of their new album Hot Sauce Committee Part 1.

He said there was no new release date for the record yet but added: "I'm hoping it'll be in the first half of next year."

He thanked fans for their well wishes and said he was now "just enjoying a little downtime in Massachusetts, taking walks in the woods and hanging out with the family".