KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- UT Men's Basketball Vol Chris Lofton has battled and beaten testicular cancer, according to GoVolsXtra's Mike Griffith.

Griffith reports on GoVolsXtra.com that Lofton had a cancerous tumor removed from one of his testicles in March 2007.

The cancer was discovered during a random NCAA-mandated drug test, according to Griffith.

"When I first heard that word, ‘cancer,’ I thought I was going to die,” Lofton told Griffith Thursday.

“I wanted to fight through it,’’ Lofton explained. “There were times I wanted to say something, but I wanted my teammates to stay focused on the season.’’

Lofton is reportedly now cancer-free.

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