Louis Walsh shares health update after cancer diagnosis so rare doctors missed it

Louis Walsh has opened up about his battle with a rare blood cancer as he issued a positive health update. The former X Factor judge revealed he had been diagnosed with Waldenstrom's - a form of non-Hodgkin lymphom - while appearing on Celebrity Big Brother.

Waldenström macroglobulinaemia is a slow-growing and rare cancer which affects blood cells called plasma cells. The 72-year-old revealed he is now in remission.

He told the Irish Mirror: "I'm fine now. I did have a thing called Waldenstrom cancer. It's a blood cancer. I didn't realise until I went to the Mater Private to check me out.

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"I was told it's fine, it's manageable and I'm in remission and I'm feeling good," he said, sharing his health update on Nicky Byrne's podcast, Nicky Byrne HQ. He had high praise for the hospital staff, adding: "Mater Private, fantastic nurses and doctors. They're the real stars. Those men and women, they work tirelessly to help everybody and they cure people. I'm fixed and I'm fine."

Louis initially mistook his fatigue for exhaustion from his hectic workload, before tests at Mater Private Hospital in Dublin confirmed his diagnosis. He also spoke candidly about the mental strain of his condition, admitting the psychological impact was significant: "Yeah mentally and physically, I didn't know what to do. When I got checked, they didn't find it initially. It's a rare one.. but I'm in remission, I'm fine. They can manage it."

After opening up about his condition on Celebrity Big Brother, Louis was interviewed wearing a Blood Cancer UK pin-badge while urging the public to listen to their bodies. He said: “Please, for anyone reading this, and you don’t feel well, please, please go and get checked. If this interview encourages one person to go to a doctor, then this has all been worth it.”

Blood cancer symptoms include:

• Weight loss that is unexplained
• Bruising or bleeding that is unexplained
• Lumps or swellings
• Shortness of breath (breathlessness)
• Drenching night sweats
• Infections that are persistent, recurrent or severe
• Fever (38°C or above) that is unexplained
• Rash or itchy skin that is unexplained
• Pain in your bones, joints or abdomen (stomach area)
• Tiredness that doesn’t improve with rest or sleep
• Paleness (pallor)