Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen is battling non-Hodgkin's lymphoma for the second time in 10 years
- Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen has been diagnosed with a recurrence of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
- Allen, who heads Vulcan Ventures and owns the Seattle Seahawks NFL team, previously battled the disease in 2009.
Paul Allen, the tech billionaire who cofounded Microsoft, announced Monday that he is again battling lymphoma.
Allen, 65, was diagnosed in 2009 with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. The disease has returned, he said in a statement on his personal website.
"My team of doctors has begun treatment of the disease and I plan on fighting this aggressively," he said. He continued: "My doctors are optimistic that I will see good results from the latest therapies, as am I."
Despite the disease, Allen plans to remain involved in his various businesses and other interests, which included Vulcan Ventures, a venture capital fund; the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team and the Portland Trail Blazers NBA basketball team. He said he was confident his "leadership teams" would capably manage their operations during his treatment.
This is the third time that Allen has been diagnosed with some form of lymphoma. He survived Hodgkin's lymphoma after being diagnosed in the 1980s.
"I am very grateful for the support I've received from my family and friends," he said in his statement. "I've appreciated the support of everyone on the teams and in the broader community in the past and count on that support now as I fight this challenge."
Lymphomas are cancers that attack the lymphatic system. Non-Hodgkin's is more common than Hodgkin's lymphoma.