Legendary ESPN college basketball pundit and commentator Dick Vitale has shared another heartbreaking update into his battle with cancer.
Vitale, 86, has been fighting various forms of the disease in multiple instances since 2021.
In a statement posted to his social media accounts, Vitale revealed he recently underwent routine testing – where doctors found ‘abnormalities’ in his lungs and liver.
‘Like countless others, each time I go for any kind of test I am a nervous wreck,’ Vitale wrote in the statement shared by ESPN.
‘The latest example is my scans last week. The anxiousness you feel about the uncertainty is off the charts. You just never know what’s next and it can be surprising or scary.
‘While I feel great physically and sharp mentally, I head from my doctors that the latest tests (which included a PET scan then a CAT scan and two MRIs) showed some abnormalities.’
College basketball broadcaster Dick Vitale announced that doctors underwent scans and that ‘abnormalities’ were found which required further testing including a biopsy
Vitale has undergone three battles with cancer in recent years, all of which he’s won
Vitale added that doctors have recommended additional testing, however any future steps will not be determined until a biopsy is completed.
While hoping for the best, Vitale is aware of what may happen when those results come back.
‘Like countless others, each time I go for any kind of test I am a nervous wreck,’ he admitted. ‘The latest example is my scans last week.
‘The anxiousness you feel about the uncertainty is off the charts. You just never know what’s next and it can be surprising or scary.’
‘As always, I plan to remain as active as ever and fight as hard as can be,’ the 86-year-old commentator added.
He concluded: ‘Your love and prayers mean so much to so many people, including me. Stay positive, approach life with passion and treat each day with the appreciation it deserves. Thanks for caring!’
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 is one of the most tenured broadcasters in the sport of college basketball
He recently made his television debut for an NCAA Tournament broadcast this year
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.
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 and most recent battle in December of that year.
