Steve Lavin to have surgery Thursday

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NEW YORK -- St. John's men's basketball coach Steve Lavin will undergo surgery Thursday to treat his prostate cancer, the school announced Wednesday.

Lavin, 47, was diagnosed with the disease in fall 2010, right before his first season at St. John's. Until last month, he and his doctors had chosen to closely monitor his condition without undergoing further treatment. But in late September, Lavin revealed that he would begin more aggressive treatment, either via surgery or radiation treatments.

"The advantage of early detection is that we were afforded the time to research all options," Lavin said in a statement released by the school. "After weighing treatment options with the experts at [Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center] we have decided surgery is the best path to take for my particular prostate cancer condition. We are confident that this course of treatment will lead to a cancer-free life."

Dr. Peter T. Scardino, chairman of the department of surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering, said he anticipates a "quick and full recovery" for Lavin.

"It is highly likely that this treatment will completely cure Coach Lavin's condition, and because of his age and overall health, we anticipate a full return to his coaching duties," he said in the statement.

Kieran Darcy is a reporter and columnist for ESPNNewYork.com.

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Kieran Darcy is a staff writer for ESPNNewYork.com, covering college sports in particular. He joined ESPN in August of 2000, after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, where he played four years of JV basketball for the Quakers.
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