Dog the Bounty Hunter tells fans to 'pray' for his wife, Beth, who has throat cancer

Two days after Beth Chapman went into emergency surgery to remove a tumor from her throat, TMZ reporters spotted her family leaving a restaurant in Beverly Hills, Calif. Beth’s husband Duane Lee “Dog” Chapman — whom she starred in A&E’s Dog the Bounty Hunter — looked discouraged as reporters asked about the return of her throat cancer. “Listen, I appreciate the question and please say a prayer,” he replied. “She’s not doing good.”

Based on earlier reports, Chapman was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles to remove a “life-threatening blockage” in her throat on Tuesday and was confirmed to be again battling throat cancer the following day.

According to a Radar Online piece from last September, Chapman was first diagnosed with Stage 2 throat cancer in 2017 after months of fighting a “nagging cough.” She underwent surgery at the time to remove a “T2 tumor,” and told Radar that she was committed to not quitting. “To be certain, I’ve stared down the devil more than once in my life, but I’ve never faced a real life-or-death decision,” she said. “My life has never been easy, and I surely don’t expect it to start now.”

So now that Chapman is once again battling the disease — what does this mean?

Based on the Mayo Clinic’s explainer, throat cancer refers to “cancerous tumors that develop in your throat (pharynx), voice box (larynx) or tonsils,” leading to symptoms such as a cough, difficulty swallowing and weight loss. Like many other cancers, there does not seem to be a specific cause, but poor diet, alcohol use and smoking are all considered risk factors.

There are two main types of throat cancer, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Laryngeal, the more common type, affects over 13,000 Americans each year and has a five-year survival rate of over 60 percent. Hypopharyngeal, a rare form that affects the bottom of the throat, affects an estimated 3,000 people per year, and has just over a 30 percent survival rate.

Both types of cancer can be contained through surgery, radiation and chemotherapy — but the survival rate often hinges on how early the cancer is detected. Chapman’s family has yet to confirm which type of cancer she has, or what the prognosis is. So for now, it seems their fans will simply be taking his advice and offering their prayers.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

• ‘Dog the Bounty Hunter’ star Beth Chapman’s throat cancer has returned

• Women actually earn 49 cents for every man’s dollar — why the gender pay gap is worse than it seems

• This man’s ‘beer belly’ turned out to be a 77-pound tumor

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