Liz Taylor Kicks Skin Cancer

Acting legend underwent radiation therapy two months ago; doctor says she's cancer-free

By Marcus Errico Sep 14, 2002 2:00 AMTags

Elizabeth Taylor is A-okay after another hospital stay, this time following successful treatment for skin cancer.

Her doctor on Friday said as much, via a brief statement from Taylor's publicist.

Dr. Ronald Thompson announced that the much-married, two-time Oscar-winning actress underwent radiation therapy in June for basal cell carcinoma, a curable form of skin cancer.

"Miss Taylor is fine and there's no evidence of any residual disease," Thompson said.

No further details were disclosed.

Friday's announcement was prompted by a supermarket tabloid story that reported Taylor required radiation treatment to battle cancer.

Over the years, Taylor, 70, has logged many a day in the sick bay. She checked in two years ago with a bout of pneumonia, was admitted in both 1999 and 1998 after breaking bones in her back following tumbles in her home, and in 1997 she had a benign brain tumor removed.

The actress, who won Oscars for Butterfield 8 (1960) and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), has spent much of her career hobbled by various illnesses, maladies and other incapacities, including an emergency tracheotomy, hip-replacement surgery (on both hips), high-blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, viral pneumonia and drug and alcohol dependency. Her chronic back problems trace back to a fall from a horse during the filming of her 1944 classic National Velvet.

In 2000, the London-born actress was named a dame--the female equivalent of a knight--by Queen Elizabeth II.

Earlier this year, she was selected as a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors for her contributions to the arts and will be fêted at a White House gala in December.