Singer Shares Update on Stomach Cancer

Toby Keith’s health has been making headlines since he first shared that he’d been diagnosed with stomach cancer in June 2022. Fans have eagerly awaited updates on how the country star is doing and what his prognosis is.

Keith has shared some details publicly about his cancer treatment and has seemed to keep his spirits high over the past two years of battling the disease. He even performed for the first time since his diagnosis at People’s Choice Country Awards on Sept. 28.

The “Red Solo Cup” crooner has made it clear since revealing his news that he intends to perform again with his band soon. Here’s what else we know about Toby Keith’s health and illness.

Toby Keith attends the 2023 People’s Choice Country Awards at the Grand Ole Opry on Sep. 28, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. Terry Wyatt/Getty images

What illness does Toby Keith have?

Keith revealed that he was diagnosed with stomach cancer in the fall of 2021.

“Last fall I was diagnosed with stomach cancer,” Keith posted in June 2022 when he finally made his diagnosis public. “I’ve spent the last 6 months receiving chemo, radiation and surgery. So far, so good. I need time to breathe, recover, and relax.”

“I am looking forward to spending this time with my family. But I will see the fans sooner than later. I can’t wait.”

Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, occurs when cancer cells develop in any part of the stomach, but in the U.S. it most often starts where the esophagus connects to the stomach, according to Mayo Clinic.

There are several different types of stomach cancer based on where the cancer cells form and from what kind of cells. The most common type, according to the National Cancer Institute, is adenocarcinoma of the stomach, which starts in the mucus-producing cells in the inner-most stomach lining. Most are being in the upper part of the stomach close to the esophagus.

Stomach cancer is the fifth most common type of cancer worldwide and affects men and people of color more than women or whites. Your risk of stomach cancer can increase due to genetics, certain medical conditions, diet low in fruits and vegetables and high in processed foods, tobacco use and your environment.

Common symptoms of stomach cancer include trouble swallowing, pain in your abdomen, feeling bloated or full after having small amounts of food, not feeling hungry, nausea, heartburn, indigestion, vomiting, losing weight, fatigue and black stools.

How is Toby Keith doing?

The most recent time Toby Keith shared how he was doing, he said “I feel pretty good,” while at the inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville on Sept. 28.

“It’s a little bit of a roller coaster,” he continued to E! News. “You get good days and, you know, you’re up and down, up and down. It’s always zero to 60 and 60 to zero, but I feel good today.” 

Toby Keith and Tricia Lucus posed together at the 2023 People’s Choice Country Awards.Terry Wyatt / Getty Images

He attended the event with wife Tricia Lucus and was strong enough to perform “Don’t Let the Old Man In” from Clint Eastwood’s movie “The Mule.” He said he chose the song because of his cancer.

“I’ve been going through my cancer fight for the last couple of years, and it’s really inspiring for a lot of people,” he said during NBC’s pre-show event. “And coming back on TV for the first time and performing live in front of a live audience, I thought it was fitting.”

Toby Keith performs on stage during the awards show. Mickey Bernal/NBC / NBC via Getty Images

Keith shared back in June 2023 that his cancer was moving in a “real positive trend” because his tumor had shrunk and that he hoped to be performing again soon.

The country star first revealed that he’d been diagnosed with cancer in June 2022, about six months after he’d started treatment. He first received his diagnosis in the fall of 2021.

Since then, he’s opened up about being treated for stomach cancer a few different times, noting that the condition can be “debilitating” and that he was trying to get back into “fighting shape” with the hope of performing again.

What is Toby Keith’s prognosis?

When Keith first shared his diagnosis publicly, he did not provide a specific prognosis or stage of his cancer but did explain that his treatment would require chemotherapy, radiation and surgery for at least six months.

The American Cancer Society explains that for some early stage stomach cancers, radiation and chemotherapy can be used before surgery “to try to shrink the cancer and make it easier to remove.” Radiation and chemotherapy can also be used after surgery to kill any cancer cells that remained after the surgery.

When caught in an early stage, most stomach cancers are curable. However, most stomach cancers are actually found in later stages, making them harder to treat, Mayo Clinic notes.

In June 2023, he told The Oklahoman that his treatments have been working, saying that his tumor had shrunk by one-third and his blood scans indicated his health was moving in the right direction.

“I’m about another eight weeks from my last scan,” he said. “So I expect next time I look for that tumor to be even less — and I’ve only got one that’s shown up. Basically, everything is in a real positive trend.”

In a December 2022 interview with “CMT Hot 20 Countdown,” he said he felt optimistic about his prognosis. “It’s pretty debilitating to have to go through all that, but as long as everything stays hunky-dory, then we’ll look at something good in the future,” he said.

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