Dolph Lundgren Reveals Secret 8-Year Cancer Battle

Dolph Lundgren is opening up about his secret eight-year cancer battle.

The 65-year-old actor broke his silence on "In Depth with Graham Besinger," saying that he was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2015, according to the Daily Mail. 

Lundgren went into remission five years later, but in 2020 the cancer returned, and he was given two to three years to live. The "Rocky IV" star sought a second opinion and is currently receiving treatment that has caused the tumors to shrink. 

Speaking in a clip from a hospital room, Lundgren said: "It's the day after my surgery, they took out one tumor, then they took out another two they found, and another three small ones. Hopefully it's cleaned out, if it dies, it dies." He made reference to a memorable quote in the 1985 film "Rocky IV."

Speaking to Bensinger, Lundgren recalled learning that his cancer had come back in 2020. 

"I was back in Sweden, and I had some kind of acid reflux. I didn't know what it was so I did an MRI," he said. "They found that there were a few more tumors around that area."

Lundgren said he then realized it was "something serious" and wondered if his past use of steroids as a bodybuilder were to blame. 

"I tried steroids back in the ’80s, ’90s. I don't know if that is something to do with the cancer. Of course, it struck me as it could have something to do with it," he said. 

"I thought about it; you always think you've made a mistake. I think maybe there is some connection between testosterone therapy and cancer. I was on steroids when I was younger, on and off for maybe 10 years, depending on the kind of movie I made."

After being given two to three years to live, Lundgren said he decided to seek a second opinion, which led to a change in his treatment. Within three months, he said his tumors had shrunk 20% to 30%.

"You just appreciate being lucky enough to be alive, and you appreciate every moment there is," he said.

• Dolph Lundgren Recalls Near-Fatal Punch to Sylvester Stallone While Filming 'Rocky IV'
• Val Kilmer Reveals He Used Prayer to Overcome Throat Cancer