Louie Anderson has been hospitalized to undergo blood cancer treatment, according to multiple sources.
The 68-year-old comedian was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and is currently getting treated at a Las Vegas hospital, according to his longtime publicist Glenn Schwartz.
Schwartz told the magazine Rolling Stone, “Iconic comedian Louie Anderson is currently in a Las Vegas hospital being treated for diffuse large B cell lymphoma, a form of cancer. He is resting comfortably.”
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a cancer that starts in white blood cells called lymphocytes, according to WebMD. It usually grows in lymph nodes, groin, armpits, and elsewhere that are part of your immune system. DLBCL grows fast, but 3 out of 4 people are disease-free after treatment, while about 50% are cured.
The Lymphoma Research Foundation says more than 18,000 Americans are diagnosed with DLBCL every year. “Despite being an aggressive lymphoma,” it adds, “DLBCL is considered potentially curable.”
Previously, Anderson has dealt with heart issues. In 2003, he underwent two procedures to correct an unspecified issue.
In March 2021, he revealed that he has been working on losing weight, shedding around 40 pounds during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anderson said at the time, “I started the pandemic at about 370 or 380 pounds depending on what I was leaning on. And now I’m 340. I’m trying to get 275 so I can get into some of my mom’s actual clothes,” referring to his female character on Baskets.
He said he has been doing intermittent fasting, though he poked fun at the weight loss strategy. He said, “I’m on the intermittent fast. One minute I’m eating, the next minute I’m not. Then I’m eating again. I figure, that way, I’m only eating for 30 minutes out of 60, which is half. I’m trying to get down to 40/20 so I’m not eating for 40 and eating for 20.”
Anderson first talked about weight loss in 2018. He said at the time, “My goal now in my life is to be healthier and happier and to try to pass on everything I got from that situation to other people.”
