Dick Vitale diagnosed with melanoma for 5th time, starts immunotherapy

College basketball legendary broadcaster Dick Vitale announced he is battling cancer yet again.

The 86-year-old announced Monday that a biopsy confirmed he has melanoma in his lung and liver cavity, and he is immediately beginning immunotherapy to combat it.

This is the fifth time Vitale has been diagnosed with cancer, and melanoma is one he has had before.

“I’ve beaten melanoma,” Vitale said in a statement released by ESPN. “I’ve beaten lymphoma. I’ve beaten vocal-cord cancer. I’ve beaten lymph-node cancer. I’m 4 for 4 and I’m fully confident I’m going to make it 5 for 5.”

Vitale made a separate social media post on Monday, where he said he had gone through days of testing, which included scans, MRIs, bloodwork and the biopsy to confirm what doctors believed was cancer yet again.

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“I obviously did not get the report today that I was hoping for when my oncologist called,” Vitale said. “Now at least I know what I face.”

“Dickie V” is one of the most established broadcasters in American sports, providing countless memorable calls through his natural enthusiasm for the game and moments on the hardwood.

Vitale’s impact on college basketball dates to ESPN’s launch in 1979, and he’s close to five decades in the sport with a contract with the “Worldwide Leader” going through the 2027-28 season.

However, health issues arose in 2021 when he was diagnosed with melanoma for the first time. Lymphoma followed, and then he needed chemotherapy and radiation treatments for his vocal cord cancer.

In 2024, he required surgery to remove cancerous lymph nodes from his neck, and Vitale’s iconic voice could not be heard as he was unable to speak for a time after the vocal cord surgery.

But like the other four diagnoses, Vitale remains optimistic and in good spirits, saying he feels “fantastic” and ready to take on yet another battle.

“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,” Vitale said.

The New Jersey native spent time coaching at Garfield High School before taking over his alma mater, East Rutherford High School, where he led teams to two New Jersey state titles. 

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Vitale went on to coach as an assistant at Rutgers before heading to the University of Detroit as their head coach. He remained in the Michigan city to coach its Pistons from 1978-79.

Once he was done coaching the Pistons, Vitale joined ESPN, calling its first-ever college basketball game in 1979, a game where DePaul beat Wisconsin.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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