However, in Los Angeles in September 1984 he found a softball-sized lump in his stomach and hustled back to Portland to see his doctor. He was prescribed a course of chemotherapy, followed by surgery. At the time, the doctors believed they had caught the cancer early enough to allow for a full recovery. Although the tumor turned out to be wrapped around Rancher's aorta and the 8-hour operation on February 6 was quite difficult, it was deemed a success at the time. When the cancer recurred in the summer of 1985, Rancher at first attempted a "holistic" treatment, consisting entirely of diet and exercise, but on September 18, 1985 he allowed himself to be admitted to Portland's Good Samaritan Hospital. He resumed chemotherapy, nearly died of septic shock on October 24, spent 10 days in intensive care and seemed to be recovering. He was soon well enough to give interviews, and was released from hospital on December 22, but would be in and out of hospital the next few months. By late February 1986, it was clear that chemotherapy wasn't working, and the cancer had spread to his kidneys and liver. He managed to stay largely out of hospital and live something like a normal life (though he was quite physically weak) until November 24; he then was readmitted, and died on December 2, 1986. September 1979 - January 1981 There was at least one reunion performance, April 17, 1983.  1981-January 26, 1985  Albums:  1985