Doyle Brunson Announces yet another Cancer Free Prognosis

Last week, everyone’s favorite legend of the felt, Doyle “Texas Dolly” Brunson, announced to all of his fans via a Twitter post that he has been diagnosed with cancer, but made it clear his spirits were high, his confidence absolute, and that it is a curable form of Squamous cell cancer.

The news appeared on Brunson’s frequently used Twitter account when he posted the following message to all of his friends and fans:

“It was malignant. 4 times I have heard that in my life. Chilling way to start the day. Squamas cell cancer, nothing to worry about. #yeahright”

Numerous posts came in, wishing Texas Dolly the best of luck and health, followed by another tweet from the legendary 10-time WSOP bracelet winner:

“Tx 4 the support about the cancer. It’s a slow growth type that is usually ok But it’s something you had rather not hear. #beentheredonethat”

Squamous cell cancer is one of the most commonplace forms of skin cancer. Cases of this particular thread are reported an average of 200,000 times a year. Squamous cell cancer has the capability of showing up in several places around the body, but in Doyle Brunson’s case – and so many others – it is the skin that is targeted. Symptoms are generally easy to detect, appearing as a reddish, scaly or crusted patch of skin.

This form of cancer has a reputation for metastasizing, which may seem like a negative on one hand, but the spreading of the cells to other areas of the skin actually makes it easier to diagnose in its early stages. And because Brunson was diagnosed with a slow-growing form of cancer, the prognosis is often a very good one.

Brunson’s multiple tweets on the topic revealed that he has already had the malignant cancer surgically removed. It will take time to define whether or not the cancer has spread beyond what the doctors already removed, but according to his comments, Doyle Brunson seems to be in great shape, as always.

This is little more than a stumble in the extraordinary poker player’s 79-year history of multiple encounters with cancer. The most frightening battle of all occurred all the way back in 1962, as detailed in Doyle Brunson’s best-selling poker strategy novel, Super System II.

Just months after his marriage to Louise Brunson, who was carrying the poker pro’s unborn child, Texas Dolly found himself suffering from a terrible sore throat that would not seem to go away. When he discovered a small lump in his throat, he went to the doctor and was prescribed antibiotics. When the sore throat worsened, his doctor diagnosed him with a benign tumor that could easily be removed.

It wasn’t until Doyle Brunson was under the knife that his doctors discovered the worst. The tumor was not only malignant, the cancer cells had spread throughout his entire body. Texas Dolly was given, at most, a few months to live.

With a single goal in mind—to hold his child just once—Doyle Brunson began the fight of his life. He agreed to undergo a radical surgery that would possibly extend his life by another month or so. It turned out to be the best decision of his life; even better than playing his favorite hand of 10-2, which won him not one, but two, WSOP Main Event Championship bracelets. After 8 grueling hours of surgery, the doctors were astonished to announce that they could find no trace of cancer left in his body.

Just last year, Doyle Brunson was diagnosed with melanoma, another form of skin cancer, that appeared on his arm. He went to the exact same hospital in Houston, Texas that had miraculously cured him half a century ago and after another brief surgery, was deemed free and clear of cancer once more.

Our thoughts, hopes and prayers are with the everlasting king of the poker world, Doyle Brunson, as he works towards yet another full recovery.