Understanding Dolph Lundgren's Kidney Cancer Journey
- Actor Dolph Lundgren, 68, is reflecting on his years-long kidney cancer battle ahead of his documentary, Dolph: Unbreakable, premiering Oct. 6, 2026.
- Diagnosed in 2015, he underwent surgery, faced a recurrence in 2020, and began chemotherapy in 2021 before targeted treatment shrank his tumors by about 90%. Lundgren, who feared he would not live to see the documentary’s premiere, announced he was cancer-free in November 2024 and hopes his story will inspire others to stay positive and keep fighting through life’s challenges.
- Kidney cancer develops when cells in the kidneys, a pair of bean-shaped organs each about the size of a fist, begin to grow out of control. Renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of kidney cancer. About 9 out of 10 kidney cancers are RCCs.
Lundgren was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2015, underwent surgery to remove a tumor, and remained under surveillance until the cancer returned in 2020; after starting chemotherapy in 2021, a second opinion led to targeted treatment that shrank his tumors by about 90%, and he went public with his battle in 2023 before announcing he was cancer-free in November 2024.
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Continuing to EW, he discussed survivorship and the post-traumatic stress he experienced during this aftermath part of the journey, commonly reported with patients.
‘Survivorship Therapy
“Obviously, when I talk to you about it or look at the documentary, I do go through the emotions of having this brush with death,” he shared. “I do what they call survivorship therapy, because you go through cancer survivorship, and you get PTSD, a little bit like a soldier coming back from war, because you faced your own mortality.”
He added, “In therapy, they said, ‘The one rule of life is that we all know we’re gonna die.’ But most people don’t think about it. You can get hit by a bus any day, but they told me, ‘Well, once you’ve had cancer, you’ve seen the bus. You saw the color of the bus, and you saw the number of it.’
“So it’s a little different. But it’s a wonderful feeling, and I hope it can inspire people who have their own problems. Not just cancer, to be positive and keep fighting.”
Lundgren told EW, “I didn’t tell the documentary team about it for a while, but it wasn’t looking too good. So, in 2021, I told them that maybe we should focus a little bit on that because I may not be around for the premiere of this thing.”
‘Over Four Years with Kidney Cancer’
However, after admitting his diagnosis led the film to be “reborn,” and incorporating footage about his health journey, Lundgren added, “What it symbolizes are the fights I’ve had in my whole life, framed by the big battle I had over four years with kidney cancer.”
He ultimately announced he was cancer-free on November 27, 2024, by sharing a video clip of himself on Instagram to inform his fans, while sitting in a hospital bed at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.
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As for the trailer of his documentary, Lundgren shared it on social media on August 19, writing alongside an Instagram post, “Happy to finally show you the trailer to my documentary that has been years in the making. Wasn’t sure if I was going to be around to see this, but I’m very happy to still be here.
“Still fighting and appreciating life more than ever.#UNBREAKABLE.”
Lundgren, who was born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden, now has another milestone on the horizon: His memoir, “Fights Worth Fighting: Finding Strength in Struggle,” is set to be published on September 22, 2026, ahead of his documentary.
In Lundgren’s book trailer, he says, “Truth isn’t what most people think. It’s not just muscles. It’s not just winning. For me, it started as survival. Growing up with abuse, you learn to adapt. You learn to hide your feelings. Later, I focused on school, math, science. I got a Fulbright scholarship. I was accepted to MIT. That was the plan.
“At the same time, I found martial arts. Karate gave me something I didn’t have as a kid: control, confidence, a way to deal with the pain. And then I ended up in the movies. Rocky IV changed my life overnight. Everything was different. Suddenly you’re in this world: cameras, attention, expectations. You look strong from the outside.”
He concluded, “The biggest challenge didn’t come from Hollywood. It came when I found out I had cancer. That’s when you find out what strength really is. Not the kind people see. This is my story: the parts people don’t see and the fights that were actually worth fighting.”
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Lundgren’s Cancer Journey
During an earlier conversation with the “In Depth With Graham Bensinger” podcast, Lundgren, who acknowledged experimenting with steroids during the 1980s and 1990s, said, ““You always think about your health and your healthcare when you get cancer, and maybe this is just me, but you sort of blame yourself for it.”
Lundgren’s diagnosis came in 2015, when doctors discovered a tumor in his kidney. After surgery and a biopsy confirmed it was cancer, he continued working in film, even as his health fluctuated. For several years, the disease remained at bay—until symptoms he mistook for acid reflux revealed something far more serious.
“I did an MRI, and the doctors found a few more tumors around that area,” he recalled. “Six tumors were removed, but then another tumor was discovered.”
When surgery was no longer an option, Lundgren began systemic therapy. The side effects were brutal: dramatic weight loss, chronic diarrhea, mouth sores, and persistent pain in his hands and feet. Still, he kept acting—until a London-based doctor urged him to reconsider his priorities.
“I asked him how long you think I have left, and he said, I think he said two to three years,” Lundgren shared on “In Depth with Graham Bensinger.”
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Thankfully, Lundgren didn’t give up and was determined to do what he could to fight off the cancer.
After he obtained a second opinion from oncologist Dr. Alexandra Drakaki, who performed another biopsy, his kidney cancer was found to be mutating like lung cancer. It, therefore, needed different treatment than what had been suggested to him.
“If I’d gone on the other treatment, I had about three or four months left,” he explained. “I couldn’t believe that that it would be that radical of a difference, that within three months, things were shrinking by 20, 30%.”
The treatment that followed with medication led his tumors to decrease in size by 90%, which his doctor described as his improvement being “above expectations.”
He was able to get his last tumor removed and learned there were no longer cancerous cells in his body.
Expert Resources On Coping With Emotions
Kidney Cancer Symptoms and Treatment
Kidney cancer affects tens of thousands of Americans each year, with more than 80,450 new cases expected in 2026, according to the National Cancer Institute. Renal cell carcinoma is the most common form, accounting for about 80% of cases.
In the early stages, kidney cancer may not cause noticeable symptoms. However, what a patient experiences can differ widely depending on the tumor’s type, size, and location. Below are some potential symptoms and side effects that individuals with kidney cancer might encounter:
- Blood in the urine
- Lower back pain on one side
- Tiredness and fatigue
- Weight loss
- Reduced appetite
- Lumps or growths on the lower back or the side
- High temperature and fever that doesn’t seem to go away
- Anemia: low counts of red blood cells
Surgery is often the primary approach for treating kidney tumors, with the goal of fully removing the cancer. However, doctors typically consider this option when the tumor is still localized—meaning it’s a manageable size and hasn’t spread (metastasized) to other parts of the body. There are several types of surgical procedures used to treat kidney cancer, including:
- Radical nephrectomy
- Partial nephrectomy
- Cytoreductive nephrectomy
- Laparoscopic and robotic surgery
- Mastectomy
Treatment Options for Kidney Cancer: What You Should Know
Kidney cancer can be treated through a range of approaches—each designed to target cancer cells in different ways. Your care team will help determine the best path forward based on your diagnosis, overall health, and personal preferences. Here’s a breakdown of key treatment options:
- Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA): This minimally invasive procedure uses a needle inserted directly into the tumor. Electric currents and radiofrequency waves heat and destroy the cancerous tissue from within.
- Cryoablation: In this technique, extremely cold probes are placed into the tumor to freeze and kill cancer cells. It’s often used for small tumors or patients who aren’t candidates for surgery.
- Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy uses powerful medications to stop cancer cells from growing, dividing, or surviving. While kidney cancer is often resistant to traditional chemotherapy, certain drugs may be used in specific cases or in combination with other therapies.
- Radiation Therapy: Uses high-energy particles or waves to damage and destroy cancer cells. The two main types are:
- External Beam Radiation: Delivered from outside the body, targeting the tumor with precision.
- Internal Radiation (Brachytherapy): Places radioactive material directly inside or near the tumor.
- Immunotherapy: This innovative approach activates your immune system to better detect and attack cancer cells. Treatments like immune checkpoint inhibitors help the body overcome cancer’s defenses and mount a stronger response.
- Targeted Therapy: These drugs target specific genes or proteins that fuel cancer growth. One notable example is belzutifan (Welireg), approved by the FDA in August 2021 for patients with Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease-related kidney cancers. Belzutifan blocks a protein called HIF-2α, which normally supplies oxygen and nutrients to cancer cells—cutting off this pathway can shrink tumors significantly.
- Combination Therapy: In many cases, doctors may recommend a blend of treatments—such as immunotherapy paired with targeted therapy—to increase effectiveness and tailor care to your unique needs.
WATCH: Immunotherapy Needs to be Tailored
The Immunotherapy Offering Kidney Cancer Patients Hope
The immunotherapy drug Keytruda is approved to treat some types of kidney cancer. Immunotherapy is a powerful cancer treatment option that uses the patient’s own immune cells to fight the cancer after a bit of reengineering in a lab. The drug’s approval stemmed from the KEYNOTE-564 trial.
“The goal (of the study) was to see if (the drug) can prevent kidney cancer coming back,” Dr. Toni Choueiri, director of the Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and lead author of the study, tells SurvivorNet. (The study itself was supported by pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. and conceived by Dr. Choueiri and some co-authors.)
Keytruda was approved for the adjuvant treatment (additional cancer treatment given after the primary treatment) of patients with renal cell carcinoma at an intermediate-high or high risk of recurrence following nephrectomy, or following nephrectomy and resection (removal) of metastatic lesions.
RELATED: FDA Approval May Help Reduce the Risk of Kidney Cancer Returning After Surgery
A Note on Side Effects and Shared Decision-Making
While these treatments offer hope, they can also come with side effects that impact your body and daily life. That’s why it’s essential to have open, honest conversations with your doctor. Together, you can weigh the risks and benefits, explore supportive care options, and choose a treatment plan that aligns with your values and goals.
What to Know About Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome
According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome (VHL), which Lundgren does not have, has been linked to the onset of many types of benign and malignant tumors, including a 60% risk of getting kidney cancer.
VHL is a rare genetic condition that happens as a result of VHL gene impairment (either gene deletion or mutation) and can cause several types of tumors to grow in different areas of the body. These tumors can be benign or malignant.
Questions For Your Doctor
If you are faced with kidney cancer or you are caring for a loved one who is, here are some questions you can ask your care team to ensure you are getting the best treatment possible.
- What treatment options are available for my specific type and stage of kidney cancer, and how do they differ?
- What are the potential benefits and risks of each treatment, including surgery, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy?
- How will treatment affect my daily life?
- Are there clinical trials that might be appropriate for my situation?
- How will we monitor whether the treatment is working, and what are the next steps if it isn’t?
If you or someone you love is navigating cancer, you don’t have to face every question alone. SurvivorNet’s My Health Questions, an AI-powered tool, can help you find answers to everyday cancer questions, better understand treatment options, and feel more informed along the way.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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