Update (February 1, 2021):
Just a few weeks after Saved by the Bell star Dustin Diamond’s stage IV cancer diagnosis became public, Diamond has died, according to an official statement on his Facebook page.
“We are saddened to confirm of Dustin Diamond’s passing on Monday, February 1st, 2021 due to carcinoma,” the statement reads. “He was diagnosed with this brutal, relentless form of malignant cancer only three weeks ago. In that time, it managed to spread rapidly throughout his system; the only mercy it exhibited was its sharp and swift execution. Dustin did not suffer. He did not have to lie submerged in pain. For that, we are grateful.”
He was diagnosed with stage IV small cell carcinoma, which was “definitely not what we were hoping for,” a statement on his Facebook page says. Small cell carcinoma is an aggressive type of cancer that most often shows up in the lungs, although it can develop in the tissue of other organs as well.
The prognosis for this type of cancer depends on what stage it was in when diagnosed, the location of the cancer, as well as the patient’s age and general health, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) explains. But for most people with small cell lung cancer, “current treatments do not cure the cancer,” the NCI says. Diamond, who was 44, underwent his first round of chemotherapy in Florida in early January.
“Dustin Diamond was a character in and of himself: an unpredictable spitfire who always left us shocked, but never left us bored,” the Facebook statement says. “We are thankful he trusted us enough to share his genuine, authentic self with our team. We wish you knew him in the way that we did. We please ask that you give room for privacy to our team and Mr. Diamond’s family during this tragic time, as we grieve and remember the memories spent together. This loss is as much stinging as it is sudden.”
Original report (January 15, 2021):
Actor Dustin Diamond has been diagnosed with cancer, according to an official statement shared to the actor’s Facebook page on January 14, following reports of his hospitalization. The statement doesn’t mention the type or stage of cancer he’s dealing with. But reps for Diamond told Entertainment Weekly that the cancer is stage IV, and that the actor is currently undergoing further testing and receiving treatment at a hospital in Florida.
“He’s undergoing chemo so he will be there at least another week and then we will figure out when he gets to come home,” a rep told EW. “By next week, we’ll have a much better understanding of the severity of his condition and what treatments he will need so that he’s comfortable.” They added that Diamond, best known for his role on the high school sitcom Saved by the Bell, will release a statement after a formal diagnosis has been made.
Having stage IV cancer means the disease has spread to distant parts of the body, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Although numerous factors affect the course of a cancer and the prognosis for an individual, survival rates for different types of cancer are almost always based on the stage of the cancer at the time of diagnosis, the American Cancer Society (ACS) explains.
Chemotherapy, which involves using drugs to stop or slow down the growth of cancer, is a common part of treatment for many types of cancer. It can be used on its own or as part of a broader treatment plan. Often administered through an IV, chemo is a systemic therapy, meaning it works throughout the body (as opposed to drugs that target cancer cells more precisely, for instance). While chemotherapy can be used to help stop cancer growth, it can also help ease the symptoms of cancer by shrinking tumors. Common side effects of chemotherapy include severe fatigue, as well as hair loss and nausea.