DENVER: George Karl, coach of the NBA's Denver Nuggets, has been diagnosed with neck and throat cancer but was told it is treatable.

Karl, a survivor of prostate cancer, said Tuesday that treatment including radiation therapy and chemotherapy could cause him to miss games and practices.

A doctor who examined Karl on December 30 because Karl was a new patient to the practice found a large lump.

Karl said he had assumed it was just fatty tissue.

Karl was treated for prostate cancer in 2005. His son, Coby, also is a cancer survivor.

Karl recently reached an agreement on a contract extension that runs through the 2010-11 NBA season, and on Sunday he coached the Western Conference All-Star team.