Newcastle United midfielder Jonas Gutierrez has opened up about the "hard" test that he endured while fighting cancer.

The Argentine had a testicle removed two years ago, but he was forced to undergo chemotherapy when the disease returned in 2014.

After a lengthy spell of treatment, the 31-year-old fought his way to health and made his return to Premier League football in the Magpies' 1-0 defeat to Manchester United on March 4.

"The chemotherapy is a harsh treatment - your body really feels it," The Shields Gazette quotes Gutierrez as saying. "You lose your hair with all the medication going into your body - it was hard.

"After that when I finished with the treatment and I started outside the medication, my body started its recovery. It got nicer because every day my body was getting better. But, of course, during the chemo, it was hard watching your body in that type of state."

Gutierrez scored the winning goal that kept Newcastle in the Premier League during last Sunday's match against West Ham United.