Pitcher Back in Treatment for Cancer

Colorado Rockies' pitcher Chad Bettis, after completing treatment for testicular cancer that was diagnosed in November 2016, has announced that the disease has spread.

Three months ago, after surgery to remove one testicle, Bettis declared that he was ready for spring training. But at a health checkup in mid-March, his doctor detected swollen lymph nodes and ordered a biopsy, the Washington Post reported. His treatment plan will involve chemotherapy.

Despite the disease’s spread, Bettis said that his prognosis for successful treatment is “in the 90 percent range,” and that it’s possible he could return to playing baseball this season.

“This only reinforces my belief that each of us needs to be totally in tune with our own physical health, and that taking action sooner than later when we feel like something is off can sometimes literally be the difference between life and death,” he said in the Post’s report.

At press time, Bettis and his wife were awaiting the birth of their first child.