Daly's Cancer Diagnosis
- Golfer John Daly revealed that he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer, and despite going through surgery, there’s a high chance the disease will return
- Smoking is one of the leading causes of bladder cancer, and Daly smokes about 40 cigarettes a day
- Daly has promised to stop smoking, and is remaining positive throughout the process
Daly, 54, is known for his loud outfits, rock star lifestyle, and clinching victory on the golf course. Daly shared that he visited a urologist because of back pain he was experiencing, and attributed it to kidney stones he has been battling for a few years. Turns out, that wasn’t the case.
Read More“I’m cutting way, way back on the Diet Coke and counting minutes before I can have a cigarette. I’m trying to quit smoking,” Daly said. “The doctors aren’t saying it’s too late. Unfortunately, it’s a cancer that keeps coming back. But I’m going to listen to them, and I’m going to try and quit smoking. If it comes back, it comes back. Six months to a year, if it doesn’t go away, I’m going to live my life. I’m gonna have some fun.”
For a golfer, Daly definitely lives life on the edge. Not only does he consume up to 12 cans of Diet coke a day, but he’s a longtime chain-smoker inhaling about 40 cigarettes a day. Plus, believe it or not, there’s an actual cocktail named after him. The John Daly is a spiked version of the iconic Arnold Palmer beverage, consisting of sweet tea and lemonade.
Daly has promised to try to stop smoking, and is remaining positive despite the chance of recurrence. In classic Daly fashion, he’s making light of the situation.
“I always tell people I’ve lived one hell of a life. No matter what happens, I’m not scared to die or anything,” Daly said. “It would have been nice to play the last seven or eight or 13 years of my career a little more healthy. But hey, I’m still working, I’m still living life, I’m still doing the things I need to do. … I can accept the challenge. I’m not scared of that. I just want my kids to be OK and everyone else in my family.”
Navigating a Bladder Cancer Diagnosis
Bladder cancer is caused when cells that make up the urinary bladder start growing out of control, which can develop into tumors and over time, if not caught, spread to other parts of the body. The disease is the fourth most common cancer among men, and is especially present in people over the age of 55. Plus, smoking is one of leading causes of bladder cancer, with smokers being three times more likely to be diagnosed than non-smokers.
Related: FDA Approves the First Major New Alternative to Surgery for Bladder Cancer in 20 years
Surgery is typically the most common form of treatment for bladder cancer, but in cases like Daly’s where the disease is likely to return patients may consider immunotherapy as an option. According to Dr. Arjun Balar, director of the genitourinary medical oncology program at NYU's Perlmutter Cancer Center, 60-70% of people diagnosed with advanced bladder cancer may not be able to have the cancer fully removed from surgery, and are not eligible for chemotherapy options. There’s where a new development, called checkpoint inhibitors, comes in.
Dr. Arjun Balar explains how immunotherapy can help treat advanced bladder cancer
“What’s happened over the last decade is the development of these drugs called immune checkpoint inhibitors,” Dr. Balar tells SurvivorNet. “Specifically, the checkpoint in question here is a checkpoint called PD-1, and we’re finding out that they’re particularly active in bladder cancer, and what these drugs do is reinvigorate the immune system and unleash the immune system against cancer.”
So far, five immunotherapy drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for advanced bladder cancer, which includes avelumab, pembrolizumab, atezolizumab, nivolumab, and durvalubam.
Like any treatment, immunotherapy does come with it’s own side-effects. Dr. Balar says that some patients may experience diarrhea, shortness of breath, a cough, and other organs being impacted by the treatment. If you feel concerned about these side effects, it’s important to talk to your physician about immunotherapy and learn more about the treatment.
Dr. Arjun Balar breaks down the side-effects to immunotherapy
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