Dolph Lundgren celebrates victory after nine-year cancer battle

Dolph Lundgren, known for his role in "The Expendables," shared the joyous news on Instagram. The actor, who battled cancer for nine years, announced that he is now free of the disease. During his treatment, doctors had initially given him only a few years to live. The actor openly stated that he might have only three years left.

Lundgren underwent a pulmonary ablation procedure at UCLA, which involves destroying cancer cells without surgery. "I no longer have cancer cells in my body, so I am cancer-free," the actor said. He emphasized that the battle with the disease taught him to enjoy every moment of life.

In May 2023, Lundgren revealed that he had been fighting cancer for eight years. Initially, he was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2015, and the disease returned in 2020. At that point, doctors gave him 2-3 years to live. After changing his treatment, the tumours began to shrink.

The actor speculated that his past use of steroids might have influenced the development of the disease. "You always think you made a mistake," Lundgren admitted. In the video, which can be viewed above, the star acknowledged that the fight against cancer was "a tough and long ride," and that it made him focus on enjoying and appreciating life.

Lundgren sought a second opinion from Dr. Alexandra Drakaki, which led to a change in his treatment. Within three months, the tumours shrank by 20 to 30 per cent.

The actor gained fame with his role as Ivan Drago in "Rocky IV" and returned to Hollywood in 2010 in "The Expendables." Since then, he has appeared in numerous action movies, releasing several films each year. In 2018, he could be seen in "Aquaman," and in 2023, he returned to the "Expendables" franchise in the fourth installment of the veteran story. This year, a film featuring him, titled "Wanted Man," was released.