Ebert: Cancer returns, taking 'leave of presence'

4/3/2013

CHICAGO — Film critic Roger Ebert says he has cancer again and is scaling back his movie reviews while undergoing radiation.

In a blog post, the 70-year-old said he'll take a “leave of presence.”

The veteran critic has previously battled cancer in his thyroid and salivary glands and lost the ability to speak and eat after surgery.

In a lengthy essay posted late Tuesday, Ebert says the latest cancer was discovered after a “painful fracture” that made it difficult for him to walk. The Pulitzer Prize winner was hospitalized late last year with a hip fracture.

Ebert writes he's “not going away.” Instead, he'll write select movie reviews while leaving the rest of the work to a team of writers.

He also plans to spend time writing about his own health challenges.