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Doctor: Jim Kelly's cancer recovery has been remarkable

Posted at 1:17 PM, Apr 13, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-13 14:30:02-04

The doctor who led Jim Kelly's recent cancer surgery says the Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame quarterback has amazed him with his recovery.

Doctor Mark Urken is the Head and Neck Surgeon at Mount Sinai West in New York City. He recently performed a complex operation on Kelly to remove cancer from Kelly's mouth.

During the 12-hour procedure, doctors removed skin and bone from Kelly's mouth and replaced it with skin and bone from his leg.

Doctor Urken says he believes Kelly's time as a quarterback in the NFL prepared him for difficult fights like this one, and Doctor Urken says Kelly has faced this challenge head on without any major issues.

This is Kelly's third bout with cancer. His wife Jill says Jim's situation points to the need for people to be aware of the signs and symptoms of oral cancer. Jill Kelly says people need "to get checked out immediately if something seems abnormal." 

Doctor Urken expects Kelly to recover and be able to resume his normal diet once he is out of the hospital.

 

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