• Talk radio host Rush Limbaugh announced during his show on Monday that he has been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer.
  • He said found out in late January after realizing “something was wrong” over his birthday weekend around January 12, and that two medical institutions confirmed the diagnosis.
  • Limbaugh said he originally thought about keeping the diagnosis quiet in an effort to not “burden” anyone, but decided it was best to tell listeners before he misses some shows because of treatment.
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Conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh announced on Monday that he has been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer.

“Even though people are telling me it’s not the way to look at it, I can’t help but feel that I’m letting everybody down with this,” Limbaugh said during his show on Monday. “But the upshot is that I have been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer, diagnosis confirmed by two medical institutions back on January 20th. I first realized something was wrong on my birthday weekend, January 12th.”

Limbaugh, who has hosted “The Rush Limbaugh Show” for over 30 years, said he will have to miss some shows because of treatment.

He originally thought about keeping his diagnosis quiet, but said that “there are going to be days that I’m not going to be able to be here because I’m undergoing treatment or I’m reacting to treatment, and I know that that would inspire all kinds of curiosity with people wondering what’s going on.”

He said on Monday that he has experienced shortness of breath and thought that it could have been caused by asthma.

Limbaugh, who is 69 years old, said in 2013 that he started smoking at the age of 16. In 2010, the radio host said that he would switch to electronic cigarettes.

"I'm gonna be gone the next couple days as we figure out the treatment course of action and have further testing done," he told his listeners on Monday. "But as I said, I'm gonna be here as often as I can."

"We've got a great bunch of doctors, a great team assembled," Limbaugh said ."We're at full-speed ahead on this, and it's just now a matter of implementing what we are gonna be told later this week. So I'll be back here."

Rep. Mark Meadows, a Republican from North Carolina, said in a tweet on Monday that he is "sending prayers to him, his family, and his show staff for the coming days ahead. God bless you Rush!"

Former Fox News host Megyn Kelly tweeted Limbaugh her well wishes: "Just heard the news about Rush Limbaugh, a man who loves this country and his listeners dearly, and is a tireless warrior for things he holds dear. Wishing him strength and tenacity as he takes on this new battle w/advanced lung cancer. Do what you do so well, Rush - FIGHT."

Limbaugh's show, which is syndicated on AM and FM radio stations around the country, started in 1984 at KFBK in Sacramento, California.

You can read a transcript of his full announcement here.