Dolph Lundgren says he 'feels good' nearly a year after announcing he was cancer-free
The 67-year-old actor, who publicly revealed an eight-year private battle with cancer in 2023, reported recovery progress and a lighter exercise routine at a Beverly Hills event.
Dolph Lundgren said he is "very well" and back to working out after announcing last November that he was cancer-free following a years-long private battle with the disease.
The 67-year-old actor, known for his role as Ivan Drago in the 1985 film Rocky IV, spoke at the BAFTA TV Tea Party at The Maybourne Beverly Hills and described his condition as "NED, they call it. No evidence of disease." Lundgren said the illness had been a difficult fight that affected him for several years but that he has returned to a more normal routine.
Lundgren has said he first received a diagnosis of lung cancer in 2015 and kept the battle private for about eight years. According to his account, the cancer went into remission before returning in 2020. He said a doctor initially gave him a prognosis of two to three years to live, prompting him to seek a second opinion and pursue additional treatment.
He described undergoing surgery in which surgeons removed multiple tumors. "They took out one tumor, then they took out another two they found and another three small ones," he said in a previously published interview recounting the hospital recovery. Lundgren later announced he was cancer-free, expressing gratitude and optimism about the future.
Lundgren told reporters he has adjusted his physical regimen since the diagnosis. "I don't stay out as late. I don't work out as hard, but I do hit the gym four, five times a week," he said, adding that he remains able to do everything he did before being diagnosed but is "a little kinder" to himself physically.
The actor has reflected publicly on possible factors in his illness. In a late-2023 interview he said he had used steroids during his years as a bodybuilder and action star and speculated there might be a connection between testosterone therapy and cancer. He framed the cancer experience as an "eye-opener" that led to greater appreciation for his family and friends.
Lundgren is married to Emma Krokdal; he has two adult daughters, Ida and Greta, from his first marriage. He has said the ordeal changed his perspective on risk and intensity in his personal and professional life.
Medical specialists say outcomes and follow-up care vary by cancer type, stage at diagnosis and treatment course. For patients who achieve "no evidence of disease," ongoing monitoring typically includes periodic imaging and clinical evaluations to detect any recurrence. Lundgren’s public updates follow his decision to disclose an extended private struggle and subsequent successful treatment.
The actor’s comments at the Beverly Hills event mark another public milestone in a cancer journey he kept largely out of the spotlight until 2023, and they underscore his message of gratitude and cautious resumption of his professional and physical activities.