The Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch has released a statement saying that he is “healthy, strong and hopeful” that he has beaten cancer.

The 45-year-old rapper sent an email to the Beastie Boys mailing list revealing that he has been taking Tibetan medicine to help fend off the disease.

Yauch, also known as MCA, said had surgery in July on a cancerous tumour in his left salivary gland.

Yesterday's statement reads: "I'm feeling healthy, strong and hopeful that I've beaten this thing, but of course time will tell.

"I'm taking Tibetan medicine and at the recommendation of the Tibetan doctors I've been eating a vegan/organic diet, surprisingly enough that was harder to do in India than it is now that I'm back home."

The statement continued that The Beastie Boys hope to release their new album 'Hot Sauce Committee Part 1' in the first half of 2010.

The record was slated for release last month but was delayed after Yauch's diagnosis.

(by Scott Colothan)