Thomas Gottschalk's fight against cancer: new challenges ahead!

Thomas Gottschalk's fight against cancer: new challenges ahead!

Thomas Gottschalk, the popular TV presenter, is currently facing an enormous challenge in his life. The 75-year-old is fighting an aggressive and rare tumor disease: epithelioid angiosarcoma. He was diagnosed in July 2025 and has since undergone complicated surgery to remove parts of his ureters and bladder. This disease mostly affects older people; the symptoms often remain undetected for a long time and only appear in advanced stages, such as swelling or pain. The prognosis for angiosarcomas is unfavorable because they typically metastasize early and radiation and chemotherapy after surgery are often lengthy, as Apotheken Umschau reports.

Amid this health turmoil, Gottschalk had big plans: He wanted to move into his newly renovated house in Gräfelfing, near Munich, in November 2025. But now this life change is uncertain. However, medical care in Munich offers hope, with specialized facilities such as the SarKUM Sarcoma Center at the LMU Klinikum Großhadern, which is considered an excellent point of contact for such complex cancers. The decision to forego future TV appearances was not easy for Gottschalk, but concentrating on his own health has priority, confirms his wife Karina, who describes the last few months as extremely stressful.

Diseases and prognosis

Epithelioid angiosarcoma is a special type of tumor that originates from endothelial cells and usually occurs in deep soft tissues. Around 1% of all cancers are sarcomas, of which angiosarcomas make up a small but significant proportion. These often do not form any symptoms and are often only recognized very late, which increases their risk. While treatment typically consists of surgery followed by radiation and chemotherapy, monitoring after therapy is equally important because recurrences can occur frequently. The prognosis ranges from a two-year survival rate of around 70% for primary angiosarcomas to a disappointing 13% if metastases are already present Krebsinformationsdienst explained.

It also remains unclear whether the farewell broadcast on RTL planned for December 6, 2025 can actually take place, which contributes to the uncertainties surrounding Gottschalk's health situation. Angiosarcomas, which are often associated with risk factors such as UV radiation or cancer-causing chemicals, make it almost impossible for patients like Gottschalk to look to the future while undergoing necessary treatment. The last few months have been an emotional rollercoaster for the family, and the hope of a fresh start in the new house is currently in jeopardy.