Baseball Hall of Famer Wade Boggs announced he is cancer-free in May 2026, nearly two years after revealing his prostate cancer diagnosis in September 2024. “I’m a cancer survivor now. Prostate cancer is null and void. Thank God,” Boggs said after throwing out a ceremonial first pitch before a Boston Red Sox game at Fenway Park on May 8, 2026.
Boggs, 67, underwent radiation and hormone treatments at Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute after his diagnosis. He completed his final treatment on November 13, 2024, then announced in February 2025 that he was cancer-free. At a checkup about a month before his May announcement, he confirmed he remained cancer-free.
The Hall of Famer emphasized the role of early detection in his successful treatment. His PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test registered at 3.3, below the typical threshold of 4 where doctors typically begin discussing the possibility of cancer. “It wasn’t even on the radar,” Boggs said. “But I had the bad one, and we caught it early.” Following an MRI and biopsy, doctors determined he had a Gleason Score of 7, indicating moderate-risk prostate cancer.
Boggs used his platform to encourage other men to seek PSA testing. “I encourage all young men to get your PSA tests,” he said. “Please go out there. Because mine, it wasn’t even on the radar. It was a 3.3, and they don’t even start talking about it until it gets to four.” He credited his Tampa physicians, oncologist Dr. Alexander Engleman and urologist Dr. Howard Heidenberg, for his care.
The former Red Sox third baseman spent 11 of his 18 major league seasons with Boston before joining the New York Yankees and finishing his career with Tampa Bay. He retired in 1999 at age 41 after achieving 3,010 career hits and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on his first ballot in 2005, appearing on 91.9% of ballots.
Sources
- ESPN — Boggs’ cancer-free announcement and his remarks about early detection testing and PSA levels
- WUSF — Timeline of diagnosis (September 2024), treatment completion (November 13, 2024), and Gleason Score of 7
- Reuters — Confirmation of cancer-free status and treatment details
