ESPN’s Dick Vitale Diagnosed With Lymphoma

It's the second time this year Vitale has been diagnosed with cancer

Sportscaster Dick Vitale in 2018 dressed in a suit with a purple tie before a game between the Boston Celtics and the LA Clippers at TD Garden.
Dick Vitale in 2018 before a game between the Boston Celtics and the LA Clippers at TD Garden.
Omar Rawlings/Getty

For one legendary broadcaster, 2021 has been a harrowing year. Earlier this year, Dick Vitale was diagnosed with melanoma — and, thankfully, was able to get it successfully treated. In August, the 82-year-old announced that he was cancer-free. Now, he faces a new challenge: lymphoma.

Vitale himself revealed the diagnosis on Monday via a post on ESPN Front Row. Vitale had been tested as a result of some symptoms he recently experienced; this week, doctors confirmed their diagnosis. They believe that it is unrelated to the melanoma that he had treated earlier this year. Regardless, it seems like a lot for anyone to go through, especially in the span of less than a year.

“What’s evident is that the treatment plan for this lymphoma is going to be a lot tougher, and in both cases, early detection played an important role in helping to manage the cancers,” Vitale wrote.

In the same essay, he provided an update on what to expect next.

“The plan is to treat my lymphoma with steroids and six months of chemotherapy,” he noted. “The medical experts tell me it has a 90-percent cure rate.” Vitale also said that he will continue to work throughout his treatment.

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