Getting a second opinion saved ‘Rocky IV’ star’s life
Dolph Lundgren is giving fans something to cheer about.
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“Here I am at UCLA. About to go in and get rid of that last dead tumour. Since there are no cancer cells in my body anymore, then I guess I’ll be cancer-free, so I’m looking forward to this procedure,” Lundgren, 67, said.
Lundgren said he was undergoing a lung ablation, which, according to the Canadian Cancer Society, is a procedure that removes or destroys cells or tissues with heat, chemicals or other methods.
“It’s been a rough ride and really taught me how to live in the moment and enjoy every moment of life,” he continued. “It’s the only way to go.”’
In the caption for his post, Lundgren, who played famed Rocky villain Ivan Drago in the boxing series’ fourth instalment and second Creed spinoff, said he was looking forward to “a bright future.”
“Health update – finally cancer free with gratefulness and excitement for a bright future. Thanks for all your support always. 🙏,” he wrote.
In the comments section of his post, Lundgren’s celebrity pals celebrated the good news, including fellow actors Chuck Norris, Scott Adkins, Terry Crews and Frank Stallone.
His medical team was able to remove the tumour and he was cancer-free for five years before more reappeared.
“I was back in Sweden and had some kind of acid reflux,” Lundgren said. “I didn’t know what it was. So I did an MRI, and they found there were a few more tumours around the area.”
The news was grim, he recalled, with doctors giving the Universal Soldier star just a few years to live.
“I’ve had a great life. I’ve lived like five lifetimes in one,” he said of his reaction to the devastating news. “So it wasn’t like I felt bitter but I felt sorry for my kids and my fiance.”
Lundgren credited his decision to get a second opinion with saving his life.
“I got a second opinion from a UCLA doctor, and she went back and looked at all the biopsies, and she said, ‘Well, you know, this is a different mutation than what they said,’” Lundgren said.
“They hadn’t checked it. They just assumed. As soon as I got the new medication, I started getting better. And that was all (in 2022).”
Last year, he told the network, doctors were able to remove the remaining tumours.
“They freeze them out or use radiation. And then, you know, now I’m living a normal life, I would say. Except I gotta go and do a scan every three months. But everything else is kind of back to normal. So, it was scary and magical at the same time,” he said.
Lundgren credited his work ethic with helping in his recovery. He underwent treatments while filming both The Expendables 4 and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
He also said his wife, 28-year-old personal trainer Emma Krokdal, helps keep him young.
“I think, now, especially with Emma, she helps me to not overdo it,” he said.