James Dimon is cancer free, internal JPMorgan memo says

Within three months of completing scheduled treatment, JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s CEO James Dimon told employees that he appears to be cancer free. Test have shown no evidence of malignancy, says a company memo included in a securities filing.

Mr. Dimon, 58, a lifetime non-smoker, told staff and shareholders in July that he had been diagnosed with throat cancer, and added that it was curable. He said there had been no evidence of metastasis (the malignancy spreading beyond its original site).

In the summer, a CT scan and biopsy revealed that he had malignancy in his throat and nearby lymph nodes on the ride side of his neck.

The head of America’s largest bank underwent about 8 weeks of chemotherapy and radiation therapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York.

Last week, Mr. Dimon underwent a “thorough round of tests and scans,” which included PET and CT scans, which are typically done about three months after concluding scheduled treatment.

After beating cancer, Mr. Dimon says his outlook on life has changed. He says he is considering teaching and philanthropy when he leaves the bank.

Mr. Dimon wrote in the memo:

“The good news is that the results came back completely clear, showing no evidence of cancer in my body. While the monitoring will continue for several years, the results are extremely positive and my prognosis remains excellent.”

Mr. Dimon, whose work schedule was lightened considerably following his diagnosis, has been returning to a fuller working-week recently.

JPMorgan shares rose 50 cents immediately after the news became public, and closed 2.1% higher on Friday at $62.70.

The Wall Street Journal quotes an unnamed person who claimed to be familiar with the matter who said that when Mr. Dimon told members of the bank’s operating committee the good news about his health, there was some hugging on the bank’s 48th floor where many top executives work.

Mr. Dimon reminded staff in his memo about the importance of taking care of their health, adding that “nothing is more important.”