Dick Vitale Says Latest Biopsy Found New Cancer, Has Surgery Scheduled

"Certainly not the news I wanted but I plan to do whatever I can control to win this new battle . 🙏🙏🙏 ," Vitale wrote on Instagram

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 23: ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale attends a news conference before a game between the No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs and the No. 2 UCLA Bruins at T-Mobile Arena on November 23, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Vitale, who is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, got clearance from his doctor to start his 43rd season at ESPN
Dick Vitale attends a news conference before a game on November 23, 2021. Photo:

Ethan Miller/Getty

Famed college basketball announcer and legendary ESPN broadcaster Dick Vitale will undergo surgery to treat a new cancer found in one of his lymph nodes.

The 85-year-old announced the cancer recurrence in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Friday, June 28.

"My report on the Biopsy of the Lymph Node in my neck has arrived & it is cancerous," Vitale wrote. "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."

Vitale also shared a photo of his post on Instagram, adding in the caption, "Certainly not the news I wanted but I plan to do whatever I can control to win this new battle. 🙏🙏🙏 Thanks so much to those that have been in my corner. Means a great deal to me."

The sports commentator received an outpouring of support across both platforms.

ESPN College GameDay host Rece Davis wrote on X, "Prayers for you Dickie V." Fellow ESPN sports anchor Kevin Negandhi commented on Instagram, "We love you. And you will win this battle. We are here for you, my friend."

THE 2022 ESPYS PRESENTED BY CAPITAL ONE - The 2022 ESPYS Presented by Capital One is hosted by NBA superstar Stephen Curry. The ESPYS broadcasted live on ABC Wednesday, July 20, at 8 p.m. ET/PT from The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Dick Vitale at the 2022 Espys.

abc/getty

Vitale's health update comes less than a year after he announced that he was cancer-free after receiving radiation treatment for vocal cord cancer. The news came four months after announcing his initial diagnosis in July 2023.

The sportscaster said at the time that the treatment had "taken its toll on my voice" and would focus on "healing."

Dick Vitale
Dick Vitale broadcasting at a game on March 9, 2020. Ethan Miller/Getty

"I had such expectations when I learned that the 35 radiation treatments wiped out the cancer on my vocal cords. However due to the cancer & intense radiation it created other problems on my vocal cords," he explained in a November 2023 post on X.

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Prior to his latest health experiences, Vitale shared that he was diagnosed with lymphoma in October 2021. The reveal was made two months after he announced that he had recovered from melanoma. Vitale announced that he was in remission in August 2022.

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