Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Says He’s Now Tumor-Free After Stage 4 Cancer Battle

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Jerry Jones, the longtime owner and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys, has revealed that he is now free of tumors after a private, years-long battle with stage 4 melanoma. In a new interview, the 82-year-old NFL power figure said his health has turned around thanks to an experimental cancer treatment and dedicated care.

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Jones told the Dallas Morning News that he was diagnosed in 2010 and began aggressive treatment shortly after. Over the following decade, he underwent two lung surgeries and two lymph node operations.

“I was saved by a fabulous treatment and great doctors and a real miracle drug called PD-1,” he shared. “I went into trials for that PD-1, and it has been one of the great medicines.”

PD-1 therapy is a type of immunotherapy designed to help the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. The American Cancer Society notes that while this treatment isn’t suitable for all patients, it’s shown remarkable promise for some with advanced cancers.

Melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer that can be deadly if not caught early. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 105,000 Americans will be diagnosed with melanoma this year, and about 8,400 are expected to die from it. Stage 4 melanoma, in particular, has a five-year survival rate of just under 30%.

Jones received care at Houston’s MD Anderson Cancer Center, one of the top cancer treatment facilities in the country. Though he largely kept his health journey private, he is now sharing more about it — including in the new Netflix docuseries America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys, which premiered August 11. The series covers key moments in Jones’ life and tenure with the Cowboys, from his purchase of the team to the 1990s dynasty years.

“I now have no tumors,” Jones said on Tuesday, offering a rare glimpse into the health struggles that unfolded behind the scenes of one of the NFL’s most prominent franchises.

What Is PD-1 Therapy?

PD-1 (programmed death-1) therapy is a type of immunotherapy — a treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer.

• How it works: PD-1 is a protein found on T cells, which are immune cells that help defend the body. Some cancer cells exploit PD-1 to avoid being attacked by the immune system.

• PD-1 inhibitors block this signal, allowing T cells to recognize and destroy cancer cells.

• What it treats: PD-1 inhibitors are used to treat several cancers, including melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, kidney cancer, and others.

• Why it matters: For some patients with advanced cancers, PD-1 therapy has extended survival and, in some cases like Jones’, led to remission when other treatments failed.

PD-1 therapies include drugs like pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and nivolumab (Opdivo), which are FDA-approved for various cancers.