The Rolling Stones' guitarist Ronnie Wood has this past week revealed he was diagnosed with lung cancer ahead of the group's European tour this year. Though he's healthy for now, the star has been counting his blessings ever since undergoing surgery to remove the cancer from his body.

Ronnie Wood smoked for 50 yearsRonnie Wood smoked for 50 years

Wood even took to Twitter following the news being broken, writing: "Thank you for all your words of support today ~ I'm feeling great and ready to see you on the road next month".

Undergoing a series of physicals before their string of European dates, the members of The Rolling Stones were offered more extensive check-ups, and when lifelong chainsmoker Wood - who quit smoking last year when his wife gave birth to twin daughters - said "go for it", he discovered more than he had bargained for.

Speaking with the Mail on Sunday, Wood explained: "And then he [the doctor] came back with the news that I had this supernova burning away on my left lung. And to be totally honest, I wasn't surprised... He asked me what I wanted to do and my answer was simple, 'Just get it out of me.'"

The Rolling Stones star gave up smoking for his wife and twin daughtersThe Rolling Stones star gave up smoking for his wife and twin daughters

Though he says he was "prepared for bad news", Wood also "had faith" that things would turn out well. "But I made up my mind that if it had spread, I wasn't going to go through chemo, I wasn't going to use that bayonet in my body."

Thankfully, when the tests came back and revealed the cancer had not spread, Wood could then commit to a five hour procedure to remove the area that was affected.

"I was bloody lucky but then I've always had a very strong guardian angel looking out for me," says the guitarist. "By rights I shouldn't be here."

Now, Wood admits that he'll be keeping a closer eye on his health, getting a check-up every three months.

He's not the first Rolling Stones member to deal with a cancer battle, as former bassist Bill Wyman revealed in March of last year that he was battling prostate cancer, but that he also expected to make a full recovery.

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The Rolling Stones head out on their European tour in September, playing 14 dates but with none in the UK.