SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 17 — Microsoft Corp co-founder Paul Allen has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and has begun treatment, a spokesman for his investment company said yesterday.
Employees of Vulcan, which Allen formed in 1986 to manage his business dealings and philanthropic activity, were informed of Allen’s illness in a company email yesterday.
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a type of cancer that originates in the lymphatic system, which is the body’s disease-fighting network. White blood cells called lympocytes grow uncontrollably, swelling the lymph nodes, according to health Web site Mayoclinic.com.
In 2009 there were nearly 66,000 new cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and 19,500 deaths, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Vulcan spokesman David Postman said Allen was “feeling pretty good and remaining pretty active.” He said Allen had no plans to change his role at Vulcan.
Allen co-founded Microsoft in 1975 with Bill Gates but resigned as an executive in 1983.
Allen was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease in 1983 but his cancer was successfully treated. — Reuters
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