Howard Stern has stirred up quite a bit of controversy during his time on the radio. But in his new book, Howard Stern Comes Again, the television and radio personality discussed his evolution and shares major life events, including a recent cancer scare, reports the The Hollywood Reporter.

On May 10, 2017, listeners were alarmed to learn that Stern had canceled his radio show for the first time in memory. Fans began to speculate ,and reporters even tracked down his elderly parents to inquire about his health.

Stern, 65, was back on the radio the following week, making light of the frenzy. He informed listeners he had only had the flu. But that was far from the truth.

It turns out that the morning of May 10, Stern had undergone surgery to remove a growth on his kidney that doctors told him had a 90% chance of being cancerous. Stern had spent much of the previous year going to appointments so that doctors could monitor a low white blood cell count discovered during a regular checkup.

Then, news came of an abnormality on Stern’s kidney. “And now all I’m thinking is, ‘I’m going to die,’” Stern recalled in an interview. “And I’m scared s---less.”

But after hours of surgery and seven incisions, Stern learned the growth was a harmless cyst. There was no cancer.

The scare has given Stern a new outlook on his life and career. He’s even expressed regret over his past behavior and handling of certain situations.

“I’m at a place now where I’m trying to figure out how to spend the rest of my life, however long that might be,” says Stern who is considering retirement. But for Stern who has had a longstanding career and radio presence, “It seems weird to me not to have this.”

For related coverage, read “Michael Irvin Is Cancer-Free Following Recent Scare” and “TV Personality Cynthia Bailey Experiences a Cancer Scare.”