Travis Barker says he was diagnosed with precancerous esophagus before he quit smoking
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Travis Barker has shared a concerning revelation about his health, explaining why he eventually decided to quit smoking.
The Blink-182 drummer revealed that he was diagnosed with a precancerous condition in his esophagus before giving up the habit. He discussed the diagnosis during a recent appearance on the podcast 'Big Bro with Kid Cudi'.
Travis Barker reveals precancerous esophagus diagnosis
On Wednesday, November 11, Barker told Cudi, “I only quit because I got diagnosed with precancer of the esophagus,” as reported by PEOPLE.
The musician further disclosed that he asked his doctor if it was “serious,” and was told, “This is your warning shot. Don’t f--k around. You’ve got to stop smoking.”
As per the 50-year-old songwriter, he would have “never stopped” if the worrying diagnosis had not come.
“I thought I could be like Willie Nelson and smoke to the day I die,” Barker added, before admitting, “I miss it. I'm not gonna lie.”
Further into the podcast, the drummer for rock band Blink-182 discussed how he developed a running routine to help him stay away from smoking.
He explained, “I've found even however many years later now, 20 years later, couple miles a day keeps the demons away. My running started getting bigger and more important to me than smoking.”
Travis Barker undergoes surgery for nerve issues
The revelation comes after Barker underwent surgery last month.
Sharing an update from the hospital on his Instagram Stories, the musician revealed that he had been experiencing numbness in his arm, hand, and fingers following a performance.
“I had surgery yesterday. My arm, hand, and fingers have been numb since a show I played last month. I did a nerve test Monday after my show and it turns out I needed a cubital tunnel release to fix the nerve,” he wrote.
The father of four also explained why he decided to undergo the procedure without delaying it.
He added that he “wanted to get ahead of it and get it over with so that I can keep playing the way I play for a long, long time. Should be good in a few weeks.”
Travis Barker previously underwent finger surgery
This was not the first time Barker had to undergo surgery. In 2023, the drummer went under the knife after severely injuring his ring finger.
At the time, he shared an update about the procedure and thanked fans for their support.
“Thank you for all the love and prayers and understanding this week as I went into surgery. It was a hard decision to make but ultimately I couldn’t continue to play the drums without it. It was inevitable that my finger would have dislocated again without fixing the torn ligament surgically.”
Barker also expressed gratitude to his doctor following the successful procedure.
"So grateful for Dr Shin and that my surgery was a success so that I can keep doing what I love and see you guys on tour soon," he added.
