SEATTLE (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp co-founder Paul Allen said on Monday he had started treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the same type of cancer he overcame nine years ago.
FILE PHOTO: Seattle Seahawks owner and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen (C) waves to the trading floor after ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, U.S., January 30, 2014. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
In a brief statement, Allen said he learned recently that the cancer had returned and said he planned “on fighting this aggressively” while staying involved in his philanthropic and business dealings.
“A lot has happened in medicine since I overcame this disease in 2009,” Allen said. “My doctors are optimistic that I will see good results from the latest therapies, as am I.”
Allen left Microsoft in 1983 after treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma, another form of cancer the Mayo Clinic medical center says originates in the lymphatic system, which is part of the body’s immune system.
Allen said on Monday that he plans to remain involved with Seattle-based Vulcan Inc, which he formed in 1986 to manage his multibillion-dollar portfolio. His investments include ownership stakes in several professional sports teams, including the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, NFL’s Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer.
Allen, who ranked 44th on Forbes magazine’s 2018 list of billionaires with a fortune estimated at $20.5 billion, is also a major benefactor in Seattle, funding everything from libraries and universities to brain research.
In late August, Allen’s space company, Stratolaunch Systems Corp, unveiled details of medium-lift rockets and a reusable space cargo plane it is developing, injecting more competition into the lucrative launch services market.
“I have confidence in the leadership teams to manage their ongoing operations during my treatment,” Allen said.
Reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle; editing by Lisa Shumaker, Bill Berkrot and G Crosse