This via Josh Modell at the A.V. Club: Beastie Boy, movie producer, and Tibet activist Adam Yauch (A.K.A. “MCA”) has been diagnosed with cancer of a salivary gland and lymph node.

The prognosis seems positive–he refers to having surgery next week, and localized radiation treatments after that, but also notes that he had a full-body scan and that the cancer has not spread anywhere else in his body.

Yauch’s Oscilloscope Laboratories is the distributor of two new films that have made a lot of noise in the Buddhist world recently: Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country and Unmistaken Child.

In addition, the Beastie Boys were the organizers of the immensely popular and influential Tibetan Freedom Concerts, and some of their Buddhist-inspired songs appear in Gary Gach’s absolutely wonderful anthology What Book?!: Buddha Poems from Beat to Hiphop. Yauch, who identifies as a Buddhist, is also married to Dechen Wangdu, who was active in Students for a Free Tibet. His Buddhist faith has been the subject of substantial articles in Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, Shambhala Sun, and Interview.

Though active mostly in film distribution, Yauch directs as well: he helmed the experimental Beastie Boys concert film Awesome; I Fuckin’ Shot That! (2006) under the pseudonym Nathaniel Hörnblowér.

You can watch the announcement Yauch posted online this morning here. He is joined in the studio by Adam Horowitz (A.K.A. “Ad-Rock”).

In addition, the folks at Shambhala Sun Space offer their best wishes for a speedy recovery. One City also offers a reflection on Mr. Yauch.

Get well soon, MCA! You’re in our thoughts, prayers, and practice.

[Image via Wikipedia.]

Bonus round:

Tibetan Freedom Concerts: