Swedish film star Dolph Lundgren has opened up about his private battle with cancer, disclosing his diagnosis for the first time. The Creed II actor revealed that a cancerous tumor was discovered in his kidney and promptly removed in 2015, during an interview with In Depth With Graham Bensinger.

Lundgren underwent scans every six months, then yearly, to ensure the cancer had not spread. However, in 2020, he received a terminal cancer diagnosis and was given only two to three years to live.

The actor explained that while in Sweden, he experienced acid reflux and underwent an MRI, which uncovered more tumors in the area. Lundgren suspects that his use of steroids for bodybuilding in his youth may have contributed to the cancer.

He later had six tumors removed during surgery. In a 2020 video clip, Lundgren said, "It's the day after my surgery, they took out one tumor, then they took out another two they found and another three small ones." He optimistically added, "Hopefully it's cleaned out, if it dies, it dies," referencing a line from Rocky IV.

The video was recorded before Lundgren was left "stunned" by former Rocky star Sylvester Stallone's Instagram post criticizing a spinoff centered on Lundgren's character, Drago, which Stallone claimed was made without his knowledge or approval.

Lundgren had planned to direct and star in a project scheduled for shooting in the fall of 2020, but a call informing him of another tumor found in his liver made him realize the gravity of his situation. Doctors conducted a scan to prepare for surgery, but the tumor, the size of a "small lemon," was deemed too large to remove. Lundgren was advised to try alternative therapy.

The actor sought a second opinion from Dr. Alexandra Drakaki, resulting in his tumors shrinking.