Beloved basketball broadcaster Dick Vitale is once again battling cancer, as the Basketball Hall of Famer shared Friday that a recent biopsy of the lymph node in his neck was cancerous.
Vitale previously shared in December that he was cancer-free after his vocal cord cancer diagnosis last July, but this latest update will require him to undergo surgery Tuesday, he said on X.
“With all the (prayers) I have received and the loving support of my family, friends and ESPN colleagues I will win this battle,” Vitale posted Friday.
My report on the Biopsy of the Lymph Node in my neck has arrived & it is cancerous . With all the 🙏🙏🙏 I have received & the loving support of my family,friends & @espn colleagues I will win this battle .🙏🙏🙏 surgery on Tues. will be a success . Thanks for All the prayers.
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) June 28, 2024
The 85-year-old underwent two surgeries last summer to try and heal his vocal cords. He missed the 2023-24 season as a result of last year’s diagnosis, but beat the cancer. He said in March he previously underwent a four-hour major surgery on his vocal cords. He announced his plans to resume working in November for the upcoming 2024-25 season.
Advertisement
“In all, the news was very positive and Dr. Zeitals said the healing process is much better than he anticipated,” Vitale said at the time, later adding, “His goal is that I should be ready to do games on ESPN at the start of the new season in November 2024.”
Vitale previously had surgery on his vocal cords in February 2022 amid an ongoing battle with Dysplasia. Following the surgery, the broadcaster went on voice rest for four weeks.
In October 2021, Vitale announced he was diagnosed with lymphoma.
Required reading
- Dick Vitale announces he’s cancer-free after scan: ‘Santa Claus came early’
- Dick Vitale announces he has vocal cord cancer, needs 6 weeks of radiation
(Photo: Ed Zurga / Getty Images)
