Eddie Van Halen's claim that his tongue cancer was caused by putting his brass and copper guitar picks in his mouth has been contradicted by Dr. Tom Micklewright at the British medical consultation service Push Doctor.
He tells Insiderthat "copper coils have been used as contraception in the human body for many years without evidence in increased cancer risk. In contrast, numerous chemicals contained within cigarettes have been conclusively proven to significantly increase cancer risk, and the more likely cause of his throat cancer."
A longtime smoker, Eddie was treated for tongue cancer in 2000, which resulted in the removal of a third of his tongue. But over the past few years it returned, reportedly spreading to his throat.