Dick Vitale says he has lymphoma and will have 6 months of chemotherapy

By Steve Almasy, CNN

Famed basketball announcer Dick Vitale has lymphoma and will undergo six months of chemotherapy, he announced on ESPN.com on Monday.

Vitale, 82, tweeted Tuesday that he was at a hospital for surgical procedures to determine what type of chemotherapy he will get.

With the start of college basketball season a few weeks away, Vitale wrote in an essay on ESPN that experts tell him there is a cure rate of 90% for the type of lymphoma he has.

‘”They say I can continue to work so I will have to manage my work schedule around my chemo schedule as they will monitor my test results along the way,” he wrote.

In August, Vitale announced he had several surgeries to get rid of melanoma. He wrote Monday that doctors don’t believe the lymphoma diagnosis is related.

Vitale said he has been having tests for the past three weeks for symptoms he did not detail.

Lymphoma is cancer of the lymphatic system, an important part of the immune system. The lymphatic system consists of conduits or tubes throughout the body with filters called lymph nodes along the path. The system carries a clear fluid with immune fighting cells such as lymphocytes.

“Dick Vitale is a one-of-a-kind treasure as a broadcaster and human being,” ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said. “His love for family and tireless passion to help people in need, especially children, truly define his greatness. He is beloved by his ESPN family and has our full support.”

Vitale has been with ESPN since just after the network launched in September 1979. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008. ESPN says he has been the color analyst for more than 1,000 games.

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