Larry Hagman Battling Second Cancer

Actor Larry Hagman is probably best known for his role as the hard-hitting J.R. Ewing from the 1980’s megahit Dallas.

But the now 80-year-old been “hit hard” in his real life as well.

Hagman has admitted that years of alcohol abuse lead him to cirrhosis of the liver, and later liver cancer. He underwent a liver transplant in 1995 as part of his treatment.

Hagman recently signed on to play his iconic TV role again in an updated version of Dallas, to be released sometime next year. However, in a surprise announcement today, he reported that he had been diagnosed with cancer:

As J.R. I could get away with anything — bribery, blackmail and adultery. But I got caught by cancer. I do want everyone to know that it is a very common and treatable form of cancer. I will be receiving treatment while working on the new Dallas series. I could not think of a better place to be than working on a show I love, with people I love. Besides, as we all know, you can’t keep J.R. down!

The type of cancer Mr. Hagman has was not released. However, according to the National Cancer Institute:

Over 10 million people in the U.S. – about one in 30 – are cancer survivors. This growing population reflects advances in cancer detection and treatment. But with the greater number of survivors comes an increasing number of people living long enough to experience more than one type of cancer in their lifetime.

Top 3 Cancers in Men:

Prostate cancer (156.9 per 100,000 men)

• First among men of all races and Hispanic* origin populations.

Lung cancer (80.5 per 100,000 men)

• Second among white, black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian/Pacific Islander men.
• Third among Hispanic* men.

Colorectal cancer (52.7 per 100,000 men)

• Second among Hispanic* men.
• Third among white, black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian/Pacific Islander men.

Leading Causes of Cancer Death in Men

Lung cancer (65.2 per 100,000 men)

• First among men of all races and Hispanic* origin populations.

Prostate cancer (23.5 per 100,000 men)

• Second among white, black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Hispanic* men.
• Fourth among Asian/Pacific Islander men.

Colorectal cancer (20.0 per 100,000 men)

• Third among men of all races and Hispanic* origin populations.

Liver cancer

• Second among Asian/Pacific Islander men.

(Source CDC)

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