Dick Vitale doesn't have cancer.
The legendary college basketball broadcaster, who has battled cancer four times since first being diagnosed in 2021, shared the happy news on social media on Thursday.
“When Dr. Rick Brown called me and said my 7am pet scan was cancer-free, Santa Claus came early!” (praying emoji) Thank you so much to everyone. ” Vitale wrote to X. “Okay, cut the net, baby, this is my national championship!”
last week, Vitale said He was scheduled to undergo important tests regarding his cancer status.
“Many people ask about my condition. On December 12th, I had a full body scan to determine if I had cancer,” Vitale wrote. “(The prayer emoji) is good news because I'm feeling really good but I have a lot of anxiety about exams. I'm sure if you're a cancer patient you know that feeling.”
The announcement comes months after Vitale, 85, underwent successful surgery to remove cancerous lymph nodes in his neck in July.
Vitale missed the entire 2023-24 college basketball season due to treatment for vocal cord cancer.
He said in June that he was optimistic about returning to the booth this fall.
Vitale has yet to be called up for an ESPN game this season, but the latest update bodes well for a chance to return to the announcer's seat.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer first faced cancer more than three years ago when he was diagnosed with melanoma and lymphoma later that year.
In November 2021, an emotional Vitale returned to the college basketball booth for his first broadcast since his initial cancer diagnosis.
Vitale launched the first-ever college basketball broadcasts on ESPN's airwaves and has been a mainstay of the network since its inception in 1979.
