Dick Vitale, a veteran commentator for the college basketball team, underwent successful surgery on Tuesday to remove cancerous lymph nodes, he announced on social media.
Vitale shared Friday that a recent biopsy of his lymph node revealed it was cancer, leading to surgery Friday. The 85-year-old, who is battling cancer for the fourth time, is now recovering in hospital.
I am recovering from my surgery and the surgeon Dr. Vosler removed the lymph node that was cancerous and the surrounding lymph nodes which he sent for a pathology report, he said and was pleased with what happened. THANK YOU again for all your prayers 🙏🙏🙏 photo.twitter.com/SehPxJjTfl
—Dick Vitale (@DickieV) July 2, 2024
The battle is just the latest Vitale has had with cancer in recent years. He was first diagnosed with melanoma in 2021, and lymphoma a few months later. That kept him out of the broadcast booth for several months, but he returned to cover a match in an incredibly emotional scene in Las Vegas.
Vitale stepped away later that season due to an inflammation of his vocal cords. He announced in July of last year that he had been diagnosed with vocal cord cancer, which prompted him to undergo radiation treatments. In November, he announced that his vocal cord cancer was gone.
But on Friday, Vitale announced on social media that he had been diagnosed with cancer in his lymph nodes for the fourth time.
Vitale has long been a fixture on ESPN and in the college basketball world. He covered the first college basketball game ESPN ever broadcast and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008. Vitale said in March that he hoped to be back covering games this fall, even as he continues to recover from treatments for vocal cord cancer.
“It’s going to take a while before I get the power back in my voice,” he said, via USA Today. “The 35 rounds of radiation for my vocal cord cancer wiped out the cancer, but it did cause some issues with my vocal cords. … I really miss the whole college spirit at the games, as I love spending time with the players, coaches, fans, media and especially my ESPN colleagues.”
