Rolling Stone is reporting that Ramones guitarist Johnny Ramone is in a Los Angeles hospital battling prostate cancer. The fifty-five-year-old guitarist was first diagnosed four years ago and has been undergoing extensive chemotherapy. Longtime drummer Marky Ramone spoke with the magazine: "Johnny's been a champ in confronting this, but at this point I think the chances are slim."

The article features several comments from Marky on Johnny's condition:

"John never smoked cigarettes, he wasn't a heavy drinker and he was always into his health… It just proves when cancer seeks a body to penetrate, it doesn't matter how healthy you are or how unhealthy you are. It just seeps in and there's nothing you can do… I've been getting so much email from people and from papers and magazines wanting to know what was up I had to take it upon myself to say something, because eventually John won't be in any condition to say or do anything… He went through many chemotherapy treatments. Some of it worked better than others. At this point [the cancer] has started to go into other areas of the body."

"He seemed in good spirits the last time I saw him… He was talking about the positive things the Ramones accomplished: getting inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, how our music is being accepted at this point. It put a smile on his face. Knowing John, he'll fight this horrible disease to the end. Everybody is wishing the best and hoping the best. We'll stand by him."

Our best wishes go out to Johnny.