Dolph Lundgren says he is cancer-free after years-long battle
The 67-year-old actor told People he has 'no evidence of disease' after multiple surgeries and a lung ablation and has moderated his routine while focusing on family.
Dolph Lundgren said he is living with "no evidence of disease" after a years-long cancer battle, telling People on Saturday that he feels "good" and is returning to a more normal routine.
The 67-year-old actor, who spoke with the magazine at the BAFTA TV Tea Party in Beverly Hills, described the fight as "tough" and said it lasted about five years, with "actually, about three bad years." "NED, they call it. No evidence of disease," Lundgren said. "It feels good. It was a tough fight to have for about five years. Actually, about three bad years, but now it’s better — so I’m back to normal, working out."
Lundgren, known for roles in films such as Rocky IV and Universal Soldier, said he has adjusted his lifestyle since his diagnosis. He told People he has "calmed down a little bit," no longer stays out late and has eased up on the intensity of his workouts while still going to the gym "four, five times a week." "I am just a little kinder to myself physically, I think," he said.
Medical details that Lundgren has previously shared outline a prolonged course. He was first diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2015 but did not publicly reveal the diagnosis until 2023. He underwent removal of a tumor in his kidney and went into remission before additional tumors were discovered in 2020, including one on his liver. Lundgren has said doctors at one point gave him two or three years to live and advised him to step back from work to spend time with family.
In May 2023, Lundgren described the condition as "serious" on a podcast and said he felt concern for his children and partner. Last November he told fans via Instagram that he had undergone a lung ablation — a procedure that destroys cancer cells using extreme heat or cold — and that there were no longer detectable cancer cells in his body. "Since there are no cancer cells in my body anymore, I guess I’ll be cancer-free so I’m looking forward to this procedure," he said in the video, adding the experience had taught him to "live in the moment."
Lundgren said the illness has altered his outlook, making him more grateful and focused on loved ones. "Every day, I’m more grateful for everything I have and everything the universe has given me, and I try to really enjoy the people I love — my kids and my wife and my friends," he told People. He called the experience "a big eye-opener" and said it had been "a positive experience" in that it tempered risks he previously would have taken.
Representatives for Lundgren did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The actor's description of his current status as NED is a clinical shorthand widely used to indicate that tests do not show active cancer; it does not guarantee that cancer will not recur and follow-up monitoring is typically recommended.
Lundgren continues to work and make public appearances while maintaining a quieter, family-centered routine, he said, and credits the experience with changing how he approaches both his health and his life.