ESPN's Chris Mortensen has Stage IV Throat Cancer

[FloridaMan88]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...ncer/78860742/

ESPN NFL insider Chris Mortensen battling throat cancer


USA TODAY Sports 3:47 p.m. EST January 15, 2016

Popular ESPN NFL insider Chris Mortensen is battling throat cancer and will take a sabbatical.

"More than a week ago, I was diagnosed with a Stage IV throat cancer," Mortensen said in a statement Friday. "My focus shifted significantly to gathering information about the specifics of this cancer. The initial diagnosis was confirmed Friday and there is another test remaining that will determine the best possible treatment plan that will commence in the very immediate future.

"Consequently, with the support and encouragement from ESPN president John Skipper and many others at ESPN, I am temporarily stepping away from my normal NFL coverage duties to better engage this opportunity to fight the good fight that is projected to affect almost 1.7 million Americans with new cases in 2016.

"I have many inspirational examples of men, women and children who have faced this very fight. We all know somebody, right? I also have the love and prayers of my wife Micki, my family, my friends, colleagues and, most of all, my faith that serve as sources of tremendous strength. I have a peace about this and look forward to the battle."

Mortensen has worked at ESPN for 25 years.

"Our thoughts are with Chris and his family as he faces this challenge," Skipper said. "He is an extremely respected colleague, who has the complete support of his entire ESPN family. We wish him strength and hope in the battle ahead and look forward to his return whenever he chooses."

[BigMeatballDave]

That's too bad.

Has he been going down on Catherine Zeta, too...?

[Lonewolf Ed]

If this pace keeps up, I am going to start feeling survivors guilt even though I still have f'in cancer...

I don't know much about throat cancer, but it seems to me that it would be easier for a person to realize something was wrong than it was for me with the colon cancer. By the time I knew something was definitely not right, that being sharting and pooing out gooey bloody gunk, it was at stage IV. Maybe I will google it and see what the symptoms are and treatments, but later. I hope and pray that Chris will get the best care and that he will respond to it and make a full recovery. This disease needs to be stomped out completely and with no time to waste.

[Mennonite]

Originally Posted by theelusiveeightrop

I will pray for Mort, despite working for the mothership.

Hey, it was the 70's, man - everybody was a member of P-Funk for a while. He was young. Mistakes were made. You can't hold that against him, after all these years.

[Buehler445]

Sucks. Mort seems like one of the good ones. Never too high on himself, doesn't have a schtick, works really hard, etc.

All the best to him. **** cancer.

[RINGLEADER]

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

Wonder what the survival rate is for stage IV throat ?

Cancer of the larynx is often grouped into early (Stage I), intermediate (Stage II) or advanced (Stages III & IV) disease groups. Early cancers are remarkably curable with five-year survival or "cure rates" of 80-95% compared to advanced stages that have five-year survival rates of 25-50%.

[RINGLEADER]

Originally Posted by Lonewolf Ed

If this pace keeps up, I am going to start feeling survivors guilt even though I still have f'in cancer...

I don't know much about throat cancer, but it seems to me that it would be easier for a person to realize something was wrong than it was for me with the colon cancer. By the time I knew something was definitely not right, that being sharting and pooing out gooey bloody gunk, it was at stage IV. Maybe I will google it and see what the symptoms are and treatments, but later. I hope and pray that Chris will get the best care and that he will respond to it and make a full recovery. This disease needs to be stomped out completely and with no time to waste.

I don't know much about throat cancer, but it seems to me that it would be easier for a person to realize something was wrong than it was for me with the colon cancer. By the time I knew something was definitely not right, that being sharting and pooing out gooey bloody gunk, it was at stage IV. Maybe I will google it and see what the symptoms are and treatments, but later. I hope and pray that Chris will get the best care and that he will respond to it and make a full recovery. This disease needs to be stomped out completely and with no time to waste.

I have a pre-cancerous form of throat cancer and get an endoscopy every two years to make sure all is well. I have been told if you aren't doing such tests to find it everything really depends on where it starts and how it spreads. Evidently, it is as unpredictable as most other cancers.

I have diverticulitis and kept have a recurring problem last year that necessitated a colonoscopy. During that procedure they found some sessile serrated polyps in my upper colon and are recommending that they remove a chunk. I feel very blessed because, like you pointed out, you don't usually manifest symptoms until you have real trouble to contend with. It's still a procedure but the biopsies all came back negative and I should have no issues.

As I said, I feel very blessed.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by L.A. Chieffan

The thing to know about stage 4 is there is no stage 5

While true, there is a ton of variability in Stage IV cancer. He could have mets to the lymphatic system, he could have them to the brain, lungs, and liver. In general, the five year cure rate is 40-60%. Far better than pancreatic cancer, but not a terribly optimistic diagnosis.

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Ugh my prayers are with him and his family. He's one of the few good ones on ESPN. Did he smoke? He didn't look like a smoker.

[ChiliConCarnage]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

Sucks. Mort seems like one of the good ones. Never too high on himself, doesn't have a schtick, works really hard, etc.

All the best to him. **** cancer.

Agreed. Best wishes to Mort