Word spread on social media Tuesday that Mike Sexton is severely ill. But the prognosis and specific illness was initially unknown publicly. Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson, however, shed light on the former WPT announcer's condition.
The 72-year-old poker legend has prostate cancer that has spread to other organs. Treatment hasn't been working and it has advanced to a terminal stage. As a result, he's currently undertaking in-home hospice care, Johnson shared on Twitter.
As we reported on Tuesday, numerous poker pros sent well wishes to Sexton upon learning the tragic news. Johnson said on Twitter that she, along with fellow Poker Hall of Famer Jan Fisher, shared many of those messages with Sexton. She informed the poker community that he is, however, "too tired to personally answer emails, texts, and tweets." But she let everyone know that he was touched by them.
Sexton's survival prognosis
It's unclear the exact prognosis of his illness, or how long doctors expect him to live. Sexton, as Johnson wrote, has requested privacy. But a study on hospice care lifespans from the US National Library of Medicine may give us an idea.
According to the study of over 126,000 patients, 93.6% of all patients died within six months. Per Johnson's tweet, Sexton has already spent a month in hospice care. Prostate cancer has a high survival rate overall. If diagnosed early and the cancer doesn't spread to other organs, patients have nearly a 100% survival rate over five years. But when it begins to spread throughout the body, as is the case with Sexton, there's a bigger uphill battle to survive.
When a patient suffering from any type of illness gets to a point where treatment is no longer working, doctors often recommend hospice care, otherwise referred to as end-of-life care. The purpose of hospice care is to give patients with a life prognosis of six months or less a comfortable and pleasant end of life.
When a patient opts for hospice care, they quit their standard treatment plan and instead choose to let the illness run its course and die naturally. During hospice care, a medical professional provides comfort and assistance in helping the patient finish out life peacefully, without pain and suffering.
In Sexton's case, he's chosen in-home hospice care, which means a certified physician provides the care at his home. Sexton will turn 73 on September 23. The poker community has sent numerous thoughts and prayers his way on social media. He's one of the game's most valuable assets and top ambassadors.
