Legendary ESPN broadcaster Dick Vitale has announced he is facing a new health battle after being diagnosed with cancer for the fifth time.
The 86-year-old icon revealed on Monday that recent biopsy results confirmed the presence of melanoma in his lung and liver cavity.
The news comes just a year after Vitale was declared cancer-free following a grueling series of treatments for vocal cord and lymph node cancer.
Despite the gravity of the diagnosis, the voice of college basketball remained defiant, vowing to maintain his perfect record against the disease.
In a statement provided to ESPN on Monday, he said: ‘Today, my oncologist, Dr. Brown, informed me that my biopsy results have confirmed a diagnosis of melanoma in my lung and liver cavity. I will be starting immunotherapy shortly and I plan on winning this battle.
‘I’ve beaten melanoma. I’ve beaten lymphoma. I’ve beaten vocal cord cancer. I’ve beaten lymph node cancer. I’m four-for-four and I’m fully confident I’m going to make it five-for-five.
Legendary ESPN broadcaster Dick Vitale has announced he is facing a new health battle after being diagnosed with cancer for the fifth time
Vitale has undergone four battles with cancer in recent years, all of which he’s won
‘I am truly overwhelmed by the love, support, prayers and messages I’ve received from so many people. I’m incredibly blessed to have my family beside me, and my ESPN family – led by Chairman Jimmy Pitaro -has been absolutely terrific.
‘Their support has inspired me to keep fighting and I will do everything in my power to win another battle. The best news I can share today is this: I feel fantastic.
‘At 86 years young, I’ve lived a hell of a life, and I’m more motivated than ever to raise money for kids battling cancer. No child should ever have to go through what I’ve experienced.
‘I am grateful beyond words for all of the support I’ve received, and I’m already looking forward to this year’s annual Gala on May 1. I really feel we will raise $12 million to add to the $105 million we’ve already raised, all for pediatric cancer research.’
The beloved college basketball commentator was previously the head coach at the University of Detroit Mercy before serving as the head coach of the Detroit Pistons.
He’s been a broadcaster for ESPN since 1979 – the same year the company was founded.
Vitale called his first NCAA Tournament game on television this year when he joined Brian Anderson and Charles Barkley for a First Four game between NC State and Texas in March.
Vitale underwent his first battle with cancer in August 2021 – where doctors removed a melanoma that was discovered. In October of the same year, Vitale revealed he had been diagnosed with lymphoma which he’d seek treatment to combat.
He’s been a broadcaster for ESPN since 1979 – the same year the company was founded
Then, in December of the same year, he was diagnosed with pre-cancerous dysplasia and ulcerous lesions on his vocal chords and lost his voice for four months.
By August 2022, he was declared ‘cancer free’ for the first time.
However, cancer came back in July of 2023 in the form of laryngeal cancer which required weeks of radiation therapy. He was declared free from the disease a second time in December of that year.
A third battle with cancer began on June 28, 2024 when he was diagnosed with lymph node surgery. He finished his third battle in December of that year.
