Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Reveals Battle With Stage 4 Melanoma, Credits Experimental Drug for Recovery

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has opened up about a deeply personal chapter of his life — his battle with stage 4 melanoma, a severe form of skin cancer, and the decade-long fight to overcome it.

Jones, now 82, revealed that he was first diagnosed in June 2010 and immediately began treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Over the span of 10 years, he underwent four surgeries — two on his lungs and two on his lymph nodes — to remove cancerous growths.

The turning point, Jones said, came with an experimental treatment known as PD-1 therapy, short for Programmed Cell Death Protein 1. The immunotherapy drug, designed to help the body’s immune system target and destroy cancer cells, was still in clinical trials when Jones began using it.

“I was saved by a fabulous treatment and great doctors and a real miracle [drug] called PD-1 [therapy],” Jones shared. “I went into trials for that PD-1, and it has been one of the great medicines. I now have no tumors.”

PD-1 inhibitors have since become a groundbreaking treatment option for various cancers, but when Jones began his regimen, it was far from a sure bet. He credits both the innovation of medical researchers and the expertise of his doctors for helping him reach remission.

More than a decade after his diagnosis, Jones says he’s tumor-free and remains grateful for the medical team and scientific advancements that gave him a second chance. His story stands as both a testament to the power of cutting-edge cancer research and a personal reminder of resilience.