Beth Chapman wins ‘round one’ in battle against throat cancer

Beth Chapman of the reality TV show “Dog the Bounty Hunter” underwent emergency surgery this weekend to remove a cancerous tumor from her throat, her husband said today.

On Saturday, Chapman had surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles to remove the tumor, which the surgeon described as the “size of a plum,” her husband Duane “Dog” Chapman said in a statement. The surgery took about 13 hours.

“Her doctor said we won round one,” he said. “We will know more later this week. Mahalo to everyone for their prayers.”

Chapman, who lives in Portlock, is battling stage 2 throat cancer.

In a letter she wrote to friends that was shared last week, Chapman said she discovered she had cancer after a routine checkup following “months of a nagging cough.”

“I have what is referred to as a T2 Tumor in my throat that is blocking my breathing,” she wrote. “My doctors are suggesting immediate treatment and surgery before the disease progresses.

“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. My life has never been easy, and I surely don’t expect it to start now. Still, I’ve never been a victim and I won’t let cancer beat me. I realize the road I am about to travel will be rocky, full of unexpected twists and turns. But I know one thing for sure. A bend in the road is not the end of the road.”