James Brown battles cancer

Soul legend James Brown has cancer, it was revealed today.

The 71-year-old singer, known as the Godfather of Soul, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and will have surgery next week. His prognosis is good and sources say he intends to publicise his memoirs as planned in the new year.

Brown, who is also a diabetic, said: "I have overcome a lot of things in my life. I will overcome this as well." He has given himself only three weeks of recovery time after surgery before he plans to start promotion work on his book. He is

also planning a tour in Australia and Asia and the release of a new album recorded with the Black Eyed Peas in February.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in Britain with more than 24,700 new cases a year. One in 14 men will be diagnosed with it at some point in their lives and many live comfortably with it without suffering severe symptoms. However, almost 10,000 men die annually.

Friends say Brown remains positive and is very much focused on returning to work as soon as possible.

The star has had a troubled life, often falling foul of the law. He was convicted of armed robbery as early as the late Forties, but it was an incident in 1988 that led to a six-year prison sentence.

He was accused by his wife of assault and battery and, after a year-long legal battle

and problems with drugs and alcohol, he led the police on an interstate car chase after threatening people with a handgun. He served two years in jail.

In 1998, Brown was convicted of a drugs offence, and he also pleaded guilty to allegations of violence against his fourth wife this year. Despite the controversy, Brown is most famous and influential for his hits including I Got You (I Feel Good), Sex Machine and Living In America.