Athletic Director Tim Curley's wife said Wednesday that doctors are monitoring his condition after an illness first diagnosed in June 2010 flared up again.
Melinda Curley said in a statement doctors had removed half of one lung after discovering a malignant tumor but neither chemotherapy nor radiation was required. She thanked well-wishers and requested privacy.
"During this difficult time, Tim did not want his health to be a distraction and has been dealing with this privately," she said. "We are thankful for all the love and support he has received from family and friends and continue to hope for a full recovery."
Tim Curley, who is on administrative leave, also is charged with lying to a grand jury investigating former football defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. A former vice president, Gary Schultz, faces the same charges. Both have denied the allegations and await trial.
Sandusky is charged with sexually abusing 10 boys over a 15-year period. He has acknowledged showering with boys but says he never molested them. He has pleaded not guilty.
Tim Curley's lawyer Caroline Roberto said her client doesn't want his health to minimize or overshadow the serious legal issues.
"However, despite his illness, Mr. Curley has remained totally focused on doing whatever is necessary to demonstrate that he is not guilty of the crimes with which he has been charged," she said in the statement.
Hall of Fame football coach Joe Paterno also is fighting what his family has called a treatable form of lung cancer. Trustees fired Paterno on Nov. 9 amid mounting pressure on school leaders from critics who said they should have done more about allegations of sexual abuse.
Paterno has described the scandal as one of the great sorrows of his life and has said he wishes he had done more.
He has been undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. Relatives and friends have said he is doing well.
