Dick Vitale is taking the rest of the college basketball season off amid cancer battle: "I need to give my voice an even longer 'T.O., Baby!'"

ESPN Front Row

"I had my scheduled follow-up visit today with Dr. Steven Zeitels, a leading throat specialist, who had diagnosed me with Dysplasia on the vocal cords a few weeks ago and ordered me to rest my ailing voice," Vitale said in a statement. Well, today, Dr. Z. delivered the news that even though the rest really helped, I need to give my voice an even longer 'T.O., Baby!' And there is no doubt I will soon need surgery to solve my Dysplasia and ulcerated lesions of the vocal cords. So, while I’m heartbroken that I won’t appear on ESPN for the rest of this season, I’m encouraged by the progress. In fact, it appears that by resting my voice for the past three weeks, I’ve reduced the inflammation by 60 percent. Let’s hope the added rest will help it heal some more, and things will look even better when I go for my next follow-up visit on Feb. 16. Once the inflammation heals, we will set a date for surgery. My throat’s condition is clearly moving in the right direction, and Dr. Z. is very optimistic that this can be successfully treated to have me strong for the 2022-23 season on ESPN."