Martin Crowe suffers cancer relapse

New Zealand cricket great Martin Crowe remains upbeat despite news his cancer, diagnosed nearly two years ago, has returned.

An intense course of chemotherapy appeared to have held the cancer at bay, but Crowe said on Wednesday it had returned.

“After a brilliant year of self discovery and recovery I have more work to do,” he said on Twitter.

“My friend and tough taskmaster Lymphoma is back to teach me.”

Crowe, who retired from first-class cricket in 1996, was diagnosed with lymphoma – a cancer that begins in the immune system – in October 2012.

He has grade two follicular lymphoma, Non-Hodgkins blood disease, which affects lymph nodes in his neck, armpits and stomach.

Crowe, who turns 52 next week, has said he feels illnesses picked up during his playing career, including salmonella and glandular fever, compromised his immune system and contributed towards the lymphoma.

A former New Zealand captain, he played 77 Tests and scored 5444 runs in a 13-year career.

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