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Larry King was diagnosed with and has recovered from lung cancer, the former talk show host revealed in a new interview with Us Weekly.
Narrating the moments that led to his secret diagnosis, King says the doctors revealed the shocking news during one of his routine visits. The 83-year old recalls the doctors performing a chest X-ray when they noticed something odd. “The doctor said to me, ‘Something looks funny.’ They said the spot looked pretty small. … I then did a CAT scan then a PET scan and then he said to me, ‘You have lung cancer, but it looks very small, in the beginning stages,’” explains King.
After the discovery, King underwent surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles in July. Afterward, King says the doctors explained to him, “It was malignant, but you were in the first stage. If it had stayed and we didn’t find it, you would have had trouble in two or three years, but we got it and you were lucky.”
King dedicated two weeks for recovery, but was quick to return to work soon after. “It was fun to see where that spot was and there is no spot now. They took off 20 percent of the lung,” he explains.
He also revealed on Twitter later that day that he was back at work and “healthy as can be:”
Thank you everyone for the well wishes.The Drs at Cedars were great & removed the cancer immediately. Im as healthy as can be & back at work pic.twitter.com/80BsmdYgPW
— Larry King (@kingsthings) September 13, 2017
Throughout the years, King has endured various health issues such as a heart attack, type 2 diabetes and was diagnosed with prostate cancer in his 70s, which was treated with radiation. Despite having quit smoking after his heart attack in the late 80s, King says that the doctors attribute the tobacco use to his current diagnosis.
“The doctor said that tobacco from 30 years ago is still related to this lung cancer,” reveals King.
Although having had his fair share of health scares and struggles, King maintains his career-driven demeanor. “I’ve done everything I can do. I’ve done comedy, stand-up, I tell stories, I’ve written 15 books, I have done television [and] radio,” he says. “I would like to do six months on Broadway. I’d like to do an evening with Larry King where I tell stories and take questions from the audience. … That would be on my bucket list.”
Even being in his 80s, plans for retirement are nonexistent for the suspender-wearing host. “I will probably die on the air. I have beaten so many things health-wise to feel this good now. I have no plans to retire,” he told Us, “I’ve never ever felt better than I do now.”
Now in good health, King believes his recent diagnosis and surgery should be a lesson to others to assure they are healthy. “When you are [getting] a checkup, get a chest X-ray because lung cancer ain’t going to tell you it’s there, but a simple chest X-ray will,” the Larry King Now host explains. “If it shows you one little spot, you will do a CAT scan. They are all painless.”
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