Mandich, 61, is receiving chemotherapy for a tumor in his bile duct, a tube that reaches from the liver to the small intestine. He hopes to know in a couple weeks how effectively the chemotherapy is working.

``I was led to believe there are a lot of positive outcomes with this condition,'' he said. ``My mind frame is strong. I feel very good. I'm surrounded by the best professionals at the Sylvester Center. I have a lot of love from family and friends.''

Health permitting, Mandich ``would love'' to continue announcing Dolphins games -- which are moving to WINZ-940 and WBGG-105.9 FM -- and might do occasional work on WQAM. But ``my talk-show days are done. It was a lot of fun.''

Mandich felt a ``stabbing sensation'' during football season but thought it might be stress. He was diagnosed last month and has been in and out of the hospital since taking a leave of absence from WQAM in late January.

Mandich was an All-American at Michigan, played eight years for the Dolphins (who drafted him 29th overall in 1970) and finished his NFL career with Pittsburgh in 1978. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004, Mandich has been a Dolphins announcer from 1992 to 2004, 2008 and 2009. Mandich is president of Lotspeich, a Hialeah-based construction company, and has been spending some time there.

His creative phrases -- such as ``If you're riding around with your windows down'' and ``Awright, Miami!'' -- have become part of the local sports lexicon.

``He's the toughest and most determined guy I've ever met,'' said WQAM's Joe Zagacki, a close friend. ``I sat with him the other day and he made me feel good, and he's the one who's sick.''

WQAM said it will begin considering how to fill the 4 to 7 p.m. slot. Mandich plans to go on Joe Rose's morning show sometime soon to update listeners.