Dick Vitale was diagnosed with melanoma for the fifth time, and began immunotherapy
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Legendary college basketball broadcaster Dick Vitale has announced that he has battled cancer again.
The 86-year-old announced on Monday that a biopsy confirmed that he has melanoma in his lungs and liver, and that he is now starting immunotherapy to fight it.
This is the fifth time that Vitale has been diagnosed with cancer, and melanoma is the one he has had before.
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ESPN analyst Dick Vitale before the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center on Mar 1, 2025. (Photos by Randy Sartin/Imagn)
“I beat melanoma,” Vitale said in a statement released by ESPN. “I beat lymphoma. I beat vocal-cord cancer. I beat lymph node cancer. I'm 4 out of 4 and I'm fully confident I'll make it 5 out of 5.”
Vitale made another post on social media on Monday, where he said he had gone through days of tests, including scans, MRIs, bloodwork and a biopsy to confirm what doctors believe is a recurrence of the cancer.
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“Obviously I didn't get the report today that I expected when my oncologist came,” said Vitale. “At least now I know what I'm dealing with.”
“Dickie V” is one of America's most established sports broadcasters, providing countless calls with his natural passion for the game and moments on the hardwood.
Vitale's impact on college basketball dates back to ESPN's launch in 1979, and it's nearly fifty years in the game with the “World Leader” contracted through the 2027-28 season.
Dick Vitale on the sideline during the Champions Classic men's college basketball game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Michigan State Spartans on November 15, 2022, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. (Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire)
However, health problems arose in 2021 when he was diagnosed with melanoma for the first time. Lymphoma followed, and she needed chemotherapy and radiation for throat cancer.
In 2024, he needed surgery to remove cancerous lymph nodes from his neck, and Vitale's powerful voice was not heard as he was unable to speak for a long time after the vocal cord surgery.
But like the other four diagnoses, Vitale remains optimistic and in good spirits, saying he feels “good” and ready to fight another fight.
“At 86 years old, I'm young, I've lived a good life, and I'm more motivated than ever to raise money for children fighting cancer,” said Vitale.
The New Jersey native spent time coaching at Garfield High School before taking over his alma mater, East Rutherford High School, where he led two New Jersey state title teams.
Dick Vitale attends the 2022 ESPYs at the Dolby Theater on July 20, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Leon Bennett/Getty Images)
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Vitale went on to coach as an assistant at Rutgers before moving to the University of Detroit as their head coach. He stayed in Michigan to coach the Pistons from 1978-79.
After coaching the Pistons, Vitale joined ESPN, calling its first college basketball game in 1979, a game in which DePaul beat Wisconsin.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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