Dolph Lundgren Reveals He Considered Ending His Life During Cancer Battle in New Memoir
Dolph Lundgren is drawing renewed attention to his nearly decade-long cancer battle after revealing in his new memoir that he reached a point during treatment when he considered ending his life.
The Rocky IV star discusses those experiences in “Fights Worth Fighting: Finding Strength in Struggle,” a deeply personal account of his childhood, Hollywood career and fight with cancer. The revelations are surfacing now as Lundgren promotes the memoir in a series of interviews, including appearances reported on September 22 and 23, 2026.
What Dolph Lundgren Revealed About His Cancer Battle
Lundgren was first diagnosed with cancer in 2015, when doctors discovered a tumor in his kidney. After treatment, he underwent regular monitoring.
In 2020, doctors found additional tumors. Lundgren previously said he was told he might have only two or three years to live after the cancer progressed and treatment became increasingly difficult.
His new memoir goes further into the emotional toll of that period.
According to reports about the book, Lundgren writes that he considered assisted suicide during what he described as one of the darkest stages of his treatment. He discussed the possibility with his brother Johan, according to coverage of the memoir.
The revelation is one of the most striking details from Fights Worth Fighting, because it gives readers a view of the psychological burden behind the public image of Lundgren as an action-movie tough guy.
A Second Medical Opinion Changed His Treatment
A major turning point came after Lundgren sought another medical opinion.
Earlier accounts of his cancer journey said a new doctor identified a mutation that opened the possibility of a different treatment approach. Lundgren subsequently reported that his tumors shrank dramatically.
Recent reporting on the memoir says Lundgren was ultimately diagnosed with a treatable form of lung cancer rather than the cancer he had previously been told he had, leading to a change in treatment.
By November 2024, Lundgren said there were no cancer cells remaining in his body and that he was undergoing a procedure to address the final tumor.
Why Dolph Lundgren Is Trending Now
Lundgren’s cancer story is not new, but the memoir has brought previously private details back into the spotlight.
He has been speaking publicly about Fights Worth Fighting ahead of its U.S. publication. ABC News featured Lundgren discussing the memoir on September 22, while a September 22 interview with Local 10 also focused on why he decided to tell his story now.
The book is listed by Apple Books with an expected U.S. release date of September 29, 2026, published by Harper Horizon.
That promotional cycle, combined with the newly reported details about Lundgren’s lowest moments during treatment, explains the renewed spike in interest around the actor.
Lundgren Says Writing the Story Was Therapeutic
In his recent Local 10 interview, Lundgren said he had already begun speaking publicly about his cancer battle in 2023 and described opening up about his experiences as therapeutic.
The memoir also covers his childhood in Sweden, his rise from chemical engineering and martial arts into Hollywood, and the pressures surrounding his career.
For Lundgren, the book therefore isn’t solely a cancer memoir. It connects his health crisis with the broader story of his life and the experiences that shaped him.
Dolph Lundgren’s Cancer Story Continues to Resonate
Lundgren’s disclosures add a much more personal dimension to the cancer story he first made public several years ago.
The actor once known globally as Ivan Drago in Rocky IV is now using his memoir to revisit the period when his prognosis appeared bleak and to explain how a change in medical treatment altered the course of his illness.
With Fights Worth Fighting arriving in the U.S. book market on September 29, 2026, more attention is likely to remain focused on Lundgren’s account of cancer, survival and the personal experiences he kept private during much of that journey.
FAQs
What cancer did Dolph Lundgren have?
Lundgren was initially diagnosed after doctors discovered a kidney tumor in 2015. Later reporting on his memoir says a second medical assessment identified a different, treatable form of lung cancer.
When was Dolph Lundgren diagnosed with cancer?
Lundgren has said he was first diagnosed in 2015, with additional tumors discovered in 2020.
What is Dolph Lundgren’s new memoir called?
His memoir is titled “Fights Worth Fighting: Finding Strength in Struggle.” Apple Books lists September 29, 2026, as its expected U.S. release date.
What did Dolph Lundgren reveal about his cancer treatment?
Lundgren revealed that his cancer battle became so difficult that he considered assisted suicide during one of the lowest points of his treatment. He has also discussed how a new medical opinion led to a different treatment approach.
Is Dolph Lundgren cancer-free?
Lundgren said in 2024 that there were no cancer cells remaining in his body while he was undergoing a procedure to address the final tumor.
