Actor Dolph Lundgren has revealed that seeking a second medical opinion saved his life after he spent years receiving the wrong treatment following a kidney cancer diagnosis.
The 68-year-old action star disclosed in an interview with Us Weekly that specialists at the University of California, Los Angeles stepped in after his disease had advanced significantly, with tumors spreading to multiple internal organs.
Lundgren was first diagnosed in 2015 when physicians discovered a tumor in his kidney. The towering six-foot-four actor continued to undergo treatments that ultimately proved ineffective as his condition deteriorated over subsequent years.
"Getting a second opinion, that saved my life," Lundgren told Us Weekly. "I was misdiagnosed [and] had I not sent all my charts and everything to [the] doctor at UCLA, I wouldn’t have been sitting here right now."
Misdiagnosis and Spreading Tumors
By the time Lundgren reached out to the specialist team at UCLA, his kidney cancer had metastasized across his body. Scans revealed that malignant tumors had spread into his lungs, spine, stomach, and liver, creating a critical situation for the actor.
Upon reviewing his complete medical records, the UCLA team prescribed a new therapeutic approach tailored to his specific diagnosis. The actor recalled experiencing an immediate mix of emotion when the revised treatment regimen began taking effect.
"It was both [disbelief and relief]," Lundgren stated. "Disbelief first, and then we started the second treatment, the new treatment, [and] it was a relief that it started working quite quickly."
Kidney cancer, or renal carcinoma, originates in the tubules of the kidney, which filter waste products from the bloodstream. When left unchecked or treated with ineffective therapies, cancer cells can travel through the vascular and lymphatic systems to establish secondary tumors in vital organs such as the lungs and liver.
Seeking second opinions at specialized academic medical centers such as UCLA Health is a common recommendation in complex oncology cases. Expert centers frequently offer access to specialized diagnostic testing, molecular profiling, and novel targeted therapies that may not be available through general healthcare providers.
Choosing Peace Over Legal Action
Reflecting on the years spent under the incorrect treatment plan, Lundgren admitted that he felt a degree of anger after discovering how close he had come to fatal complications. He confirmed that he was "a little upset" upon learning the reality of his initial medical management.
The actor and his wife, Emma Krokdal, briefly discussed the possibility of taking formal legal action against the medical professionals who had mismanaged his original care. The couple considered filing a medical malpractice lawsuit and planned to donate any financial recovery to charitable causes if they prevailed.
However, Lundgren ultimately decided against initiating litigation, choosing instead to concentrate his energy on his health and ongoing recovery.
"I decided it [was] going to be a mess. Who needs it? I was still going through treatment, and then I realized that they weren’t doing it out of spite; they just had made a mistake. People make mistakes," Lundgren explained.
Medical malpractice claims involving delayed diagnosis or improper treatment often involve lengthy legal processes, extensive expert testimony, and significant emotional strain. Patients recovering from severe health conditions frequently opt out of legal disputes to minimize stress during cancer treatment.
Support From Wife Emma Krokdal
Lundgren credited Krokdal with providing indispensable assistance throughout what he described as the most challenging phase of his illness. The 30-year-old personal trainer and co-founder of Hardcut Vodka met Lundgren at their local gym before the couple married in 2023.
During his medical treatments, Lundgren suffered severe side effects, including painful mouth sores that severely limited his ability to eat. Krokdal managed his specialized diet and provided constant day-to-day care as he battled through the grueling regimen.
"[Emma] was there and helped me with the treatments, with my diet because I could only eat certain things. I had sores in my mouth and so forth," Lundgren recalled. "She was just fantastic. So without her, it would have been very, very difficult, I think, to pull through."
Remarkably, Lundgren managed to keep his severe diagnosis hidden from the public and the media while maintaining a demanding filming schedule. During the worst periods of his illness, he continued working on set for high-profile feature films, including Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and Expend4ables.
In DC Studios' 2023 superhero film Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, directed by James Wan, Lundgren reprised his role as King Nereus of Xebel. Simultaneously, he returned as the volatile mercenary Gunner Jensen in Expend4ables, the fourth installment of the ensemble action franchise created alongside Sylvester Stallone.
Remission and Career Legacy
After nearly a decade of treatment and monitoring, Lundgren publicly announced in November 2024 that he was officially cancer-free. The news marked a major milestone in a fight that had threatened his life for years.
Despite being declared cancer-free, the actor remains vigilant regarding his health. He continues to undergo comprehensive medical scans every four to five months to ensure that the disease has not returned.
"Obviously I’m aware of the fact that psychologically that something could come back. And look, it’s just part of life. I can’t change that," Lundgren noted regarding his ongoing monitoring.
The Swedish actor first achieved worldwide fame in 1985 when he starred as Soviet heavyweight boxer Ivan Drago in the smash hit sports drama Rocky IV. Performing opposite writer and star Sylvester Stallone, Lundgren's imposing physical presence and stern delivery turned Drago into one of cinema's most memorable villains.
Following his breakout performance in Rocky IV, Lundgren secured his first major leading role as the hero He-Man in the 1987 live-action fantasy film Masters of the Universe, adapted from the popular Mattel action figure line.
Fans interested in the Swedish star's life journey and screen career can now watch his new biographical documentary film, Dolph: Unbreakable, which is currently available for streaming on digital platforms.
