'Awesome, Baby!'
- Sports Broadcasting legend Dick Vitale was presented an autographed ball signed by all 14 SEC coaches just before the Texas A&M vs. Arkansas game at Tampa’s Amalie Arena.
- The motivational cancer warrior, often referred to by nickname “Dickie V” just received news last week that he is cancer-free after fighting lymphoma.
- Although there are no screening tests for lymphoma, and symptoms may be subtle, experts say to look out for swollen lymph nodes is your neck, armpits, or groin, along with fever and fatigue.
College basketball legend Dick Vitale, 82, had a hard time hiding his gratitude and appreciation while receiving special recognition at the 2022 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament on June 12.
Read MoreThe Sarasota, Florida native even graced fans and viewers with his presence at the ESPN broadcast booth that he held a regular seat on for four decades before deciding to put his health first. Vitale was the network’s first college ball announcer in 1980.
Now, it seems fitting that just ahead of March Madness, Vitale was overjoyed to learn that he was cancer-free.
The former college and pro-basketball coach shared an update on Twitter last week, writing: "For me & my family the biggest victory today was my MARCH MADNESS W hearing Dr Brown say that the PET SCAN showed NO CANCER in your body & YOU are in REMISSION! Trust me that was such an emotional moment."
For me & my family the biggest victory today was my MARCH MADNESS W hearing Dr Brown say that the PET SCAN showed NO CANCER in your body & YOU are in REMISSION! Trust me that was such an emotional moment ðŸ™ðŸ™ðŸ™â¤ï¸â¤ï¸â¤ï¸ from many of u were magical .!
Dick Vitale (@DickieV) March 9, 2022
Prior to announcing his joyful news to the world, Vitale had kept fans clued in along the way with frequent health updates on his social media channels.
"The plan is to treat my lymphoma with steroids and six months of chemotherapy," Vitale wrote in a piece for ESPN Front Row at the time of his October 2021 diagnosis.
"The medical experts tell me it has a 90-percent cure rate,” Vitale shared. “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."
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Vitalewho is known for his uplifting energy, especially as of latehas also shared motivational video clips for fans and fellow survivors, most recently on the same day of his good news.
Dickie V’s motivational tip of the day? “Seek knowledge / always try to get better & better daily in pursuing your goals,” he wrote alongside a video of himself in a polo shirt and sunglasses in front of what appears to be a golf course. “Whatever you’re trying to be a success at, get as much knowledge as you can.”
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Learning About Lymphoma
Needless to say, gathering knowledge goes a long way as a cancer survivor as well, and it is also important for generally healthy people to have a basic understanding of some of the more common forms of the disease to stay ahead of the game.
Lymphoma is a cancer of the immune system that affects infection-fighting cells called lymphocytes. And there are more than 40 different types of lymphoma. It should be noted that the type of lymphoma Dick Vitale was diagnosed with remains unclear.
"Lymphoma is split up into a number of different categories," Dr. Elise Chong, a medical oncologist at Penn Medicine, previously told SurvivorNet.
What Kind of Lymphoma Do You Have? Why Your Type Matters
Knowing which type of lymphoma you have is important as you start thinking about treatment.
"The first distinguishing breakpoint, if you will, is non-Hodgkin lymphoma versus Hodgkin lymphoma," Dr. Chong explained, "and those sound like two different categories. But non-Hodgkin lymphoma comprises the majority of lymphoma, and Hodgkin lymphoma is a single specific type of lymphoma."
Hodgkin lymphoma has distinctive, giant cells called Reed-Sternberg cells. The presence of these cells, which can be seen under a microscope, will help your doctor determine which of the two lymphoma types you have.
There are a few other important differences between non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma to note. For one thing, non-Hodgkin lymphoma is much more common. And you're more likely to be diagnosed with it after age 55. People usually develop Hodgkin lymphoma at a younger age.
It should be noted that another difference between these two types of lymphoma is that non-Hodgkin lymphoma is more likely to spread in a random fashion and be found in different groups of lymph nodes in the body, while Hodgkin lymphoma is more likely to grow in a uniform way from one group of lymph nodes directly to another.
These two different types of lymphoma behave, spread and respond to treatment differently, so it is important for you to know which type you have.
How Did Dick Vitale Spot His Lymphoma Symptoms?
In addition to what type of lymphoma Dick Vitale was fighting, it remains unclear what type of symptoms he experienced, though the clues can be so subtle that you may not even notice them.
Finding Lymphoma Early: Do You Know the Symptoms and Risks?
"People say, 'But I feel completely fine,' and that's very normal," Dr. Chong pointed out. If doctors find a lump, often it is "only because either someone palpated a lymph node and felt some swelling in their neck or their groin or under their arm."
If you are at risk for this cancer because you had another type of cancer (like Vitale's melanoma) or an organ transplant in the past, you have an autoimmune disease, or you have an infection such as HIV or Epstein-Barr, it may be worth watching out for symptoms such as:
- Swollen lymph nodes in your neck, armpits, or groin
- Weight loss
- Tiredness
- Fevers
- Swollen belly
There are also a group of symptoms doctors refer to as "B symptoms." Those include fever, night sweats or weight loss.
"If people are having any of these symptoms, it's essential that they tell their physician early so that the proper testing can be done," Dr. Chong noted.
As always, if you notice something off with your body, contacting your physician is an essential first step. Most likely, it will not be anything serious, but if it is, staying ahead of a diagnosis and catching cancer or another disease early could save your life.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.