Dick Vitale is cancer-free: "My March Madness starts with a W baby!"

Broadcast legend Dick Vitale is cancer-free, announcing Tuesday afternoon that his PET scan results revealed no cancer remaining after undergoing treatment for lymphoma and melanoma since 2021.

“OMG ALL THE PRAYERS many of [you] have sent have been answered as DR Brown who heads my cancer TEAM called & said PET SCAN came back that NO CANCER is showing,” Vitale wrote in a tweet. “I feel like a coach playing for the Final 4 has a PTPer hit a shot at buzzer. My MARCH MADNESS starts with a W baby!”

OMG ALL THE PRAYERS many of u have sent have been answered as DR Brown who heads my cancer TEAM called & said PET SCAN came back that NO CANCER is showing. I feel like a coach playing for the Final 4 has a PTPer hit a shot at buzzer. My MARCH MADNESS starts with a W baby ! pic.twitter.com/HS2yI3wgpB

— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) March 8, 2022

Back in January, Vitale announced he would be forced to miss the remainder of the 2021-22 college basketball season after undergoing surgery to solve his Dysplasia and ulcerated lesions of the vocal cords. He was previously cleared to call games in November following his cancer treatment, his 43rd year at ESPN.

“While I’m heartbroken that I won’t appear on ESPN for the rest of this season, I’m encouraged by the progress,” Vitale announced in an official release. “… My throat’s condition is clearly moving in the right direction, and Dr. Z. is very optimistic that this can be successfully treated to have me strong for the 2022-23 season on ESPN.”

Vitale gave a step-by-step breakdown of his tests with doctors, starting with bloodwork Tuesday morning, followed by the one-hour PET scan. From there, the waiting game began.

“Sharing my journey so [you] can see what most cancer patients deal with,” Vitale wrote. “WE MUST BEAT CANCER.”

Getting bloodwork is the start of my MARCH MADNESS trust me I would prefer sitting at courtside-next I go for a PET SCAN which my medical team said will last over 1 hr as their r 2 phases to the scan that will give a reading to the status of my cancer .🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏for good news. pic.twitter.com/Sj2CQCSEen

— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) March 8, 2022

The 1st phase of getting prepared for Pet Scan.Just told that this part will take 1hr. as this gets me ready for the SCAN so they can get clear pics of my entire body.Sharing my journey so u can see what most cancer patients deal with .WE MUST BEAT CANCER @TheVFoundation pic.twitter.com/1H2fpHbwRT

— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) March 8, 2022

Just finished PET SCAN / now is the anxiety now waiting for Dr Brown to call with results .ALL cancer patients know that feeling . It is NERVOUS TIME / 🙏🙏🙏 for some good news .Really appreciate all the 🙏🙏🙏 & ❤️❤️❤️from so many of you . pic.twitter.com/FVLbZZRnTN

— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) March 8, 2022

Vitale’s patience and persistence paid off, as tests revealed that the broadcast legend was officially cancer-free.

Back on October 20, 2021, Vitale promised the college basketball world that he would “win this battle” against cancer, expressing gratitude for the prayers and support he had received following the initial diagnosis.

“I’m overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with the love you’ve shared with me in a battle I face with this lymphoma,” Vitale said at the time. “But I’m gonna beat it because I’ve got a great team. Man, I have a great team, a great family, my second family, ESPN. All my colleagues have been so kind and so good. And I have a great team of doctors who are all involved. …

“I’m going to win this battle. Take that to the bank, there’s no doubt in my mind. … All I ask if we ever meet and see each other, give me a little fist bump and give me a little prayer. That’s all I want. That’s all I want and that’s all I need. I’ve got those prayers, I’ve got my team, my family, my second family, ESPN. All of these people have been so beautiful, I love them all. I love every one of you that has responded, whether it be a text message, whether it be on social media, it’s been awesome. It’s given me so much drive, desire to win this battle. I will win this battle.”

Promise kept. Battle won.

No better way to start March Madness than good news from Dickie V.