Legendary broadcaster Dick Vitale says he is cancer-free: 'Santa Claus came early'
It was Vitale's third cancer bout since 2021
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Legendary broadcaster Dick Vitale got the best gift he could have asked for this holiday season.
The 84-year-old announced on X, formerly Twitter, he is cancer-free.
"Santa Claus came early for me & my family," he posted.
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College basketball announcer Dick Vitale on air during the NCAA championship game between the Connecticut Huskies and the San Diego State Aztecs at NRG Stadium April 3, 2023, in Houston. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
"Just was on the phone with Dr Rick Brown ( my oncologist ) Dr Ken Meredith ( bloodwork ) They gave me super news that the PET SCAN was clean (NO CANCER ) & my bloodwork was all very good .
Vitale shared an update in October, speaking for the first time in seven months, publicly or privately, due to his vocal cord cancer.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}At the time, one of Vitale's doctors said he saw "no evidence of the cancer whatsoever."
Vitale had planned to get back in the booth Nov. 28 given his positive prognosis, but doctors advised him to take a longer break.
He said in November the cancer was gone, but "the impact of the treatments has taken its toll on my voice and requires more healing."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dick Vitale attends the 2022 ESPY Awards at Dolby Theatre July 20, 2022, in Hollywood, Calif. (Leon Bennett/Getty Images)
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It was his third cancer battle since 2021.
Last year, Vitale underwent surgery for his ongoing battle with dysplasia in his vocal cords. The February 2022 procedure temporarily brought his broadcasting duties to a halt.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Vitale is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. He has called games at ESPN more than four decades.
Before broadcasting, he coached in the 1970s when he became an assistant at Rutgers. He later coached at Detroit Mercy before he was named the head coach of the Detroit Pistons.
Sportscaster Dick Vitale before a semifinal game of the West Coast Conference basketball tournament between the San Francisco Dons and the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the Orleans Arena March 9, 2020, in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It's unknown when Vitale will return to the booth, but it seems like it will be sooner rather than later.
Fox News' Chantz Martin contributed to this report.