Dustin Diamond hadn't been feeling well lately, complete with a "huge lump" on his throat, and he decided to check himself into a Florida hospital this week. Now, sobering news for the 44-year-old Saved by the Bell star: His team confirms to Rolling Stone and People that he has stage 4 cancer, and that it's "very serious." It's not clear what kind of cancer he has—his people say he'll soon release a more formal statement—but a rep tells Entertainment Weekly that the actor who played Screech will stay at the hospital for at least another week as he goes through a chemo regimen.
"By next week, we'll have a much better understanding of the severity of his condition and what treatments he will need so that he's comfortable," the rep says. He adds that when Diamond was admitted, he was "fading in and out," exhausted and suffering pain from a bout of shingles he has on top of all this. TMZ reports that Diamond's mother died of cancer, and so he had a "general sense of unease" when he went to the hospital, suspecting he might have it now, too. "Unfortunately, that turned out to be the case," the outlet notes. "All positivity and prayers are appreciated," reads a statement from "Team Dustin" on his official Facebook page. (More Dustin Diamond stories.)
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