ERIC DANE - ERIC DANE BATTLING CANCER

ERIC DANE BATTLING CANCER

GREY'S ANATOMY star ERIC DANE has been battling skin cancer since he was diagnosed with the deadly illness last month (Jan08). The 35-year-old actor became concerned after noticing an unusual patch of skin above his lips and immediately sought medical treatment. He tells U.S. OK magazine, "I went to my dermatologist. He said it was malignant tissue caused by sun damage." Doctors treated the growth by freezing it off with liquid nitrogen and Dane admits it was a traumatic procedure. He adds, "My skin is very sensitive and my lip was traumatized by the procedure I had to go through. I didn't eat very well for a couple of weeks and lost a bunch of weight." Despite dropping over 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) during his ordeal, the actor now insists he is on the road to recovery.