Denver Nuggets coach George Karl missed his team's match-up against the Lakers Tuesday night so he could spend some quality time with his son, Coby, who had surgery for the removal of cancerous lymph nodes on Monday.

Coby Karl, 23, spent seven hours in surgery. It was his second surgery in 13 months -- he had his thyroid removed last year after he was diagnosed with a treatable form of cancer called papillary carcinoma. Chemotherapy followed the first surgery to kill off any remaining cancer cells.

All reports indicate both Karls are doing fine and Coach Karl, who has been surviving prostate cancer since 2005, was back to his coaching duties last night. His team took on the Sacramento Kings -- and won.

Coby Karl is taking it easy for now. He just recently finished his final season with Boise State University where he led the Broncos with 14.8 points per game. He's still a great athlete, but right now, his health comes first.

"He's a young kid, he's a promising basketball player," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "The most important thing is his health."

Award-winning jazz musician and former basketball star Wayman Tisdale revealed this week on his website that he has been diagnosed with cancer, that he will begin a six-month course of chemotherapy this week, and that his prognosis for recovery is excellent.

The 6-foot-9 former Oklahoma Sooners basketball great -- who played 12 seasons in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings, and Phoenix Suns and helped score gold on the 1984 U.S. Olympic team -- reports that he broke his leg in a fall at his Los Angeles home last month.

After his fall, Tisdale's doctors determined a cyst in his right knee caused the injury. The cyst, identified as cancer, was then removed. Following chemotherapy, Tisdale, 42, will undergo knee-replacement surgery.

Tisdale has been told to hold off on his touring and public appearance schedules so can fully recover. But he plans to begin performing again in January 2008. In the meantime, he will focus on his new album with the working title Rebound.

Yesterday it was announced that Lost in the Fog -- 2005 Eclipse Award winner as sprinter of the year -- will be put down in the next ten days because of spleen cancer that has spread to his abdomen.

"Unfortunately, we found two other tumors in his abdomen,'' said veterinarian, Don Smith. "There is one in his membrane and ligament, about the size of an egg. Unfortunately there is another along his back and its about the size of a football.''

An almost million dollar winner in his short career, the pain will determine when they decide to end the life of this majestic and powerful champion. They are planning on taking Lost in the Fog back to Golden Gate Fields so that he can rest comfortably in his own stall.

"We'll keep him in the stall for a week or 10 days," trainer Greg Gilchrist said. "This would be the best thing to do, get him back with his groom. I just couldn't leave him up there (at Davis) to be euthanized and thrown in the bone yard." Lost in the Fog's remains will be cremated and sent back to Southern Chase Farm in Ocala, Florida where he was raised.

Last year, Lost in the Fog made seven cross-country trips and won eight stakes, including the King's Bishop. Lost in the Fog won 10 races in a row to begin his career and 11 of 14 starts while earning $978,099.

"What a warrior -- I've never had a horse that comes close to this one," stated Gilchrist.