Rudy Tomjanovich is accustomed to winning. Two NBA championships. An Olympic gold medal. His recovery from alcoholism.

Now it appears the former Houston Rockets coach is winning his battle against bladder cancer.

Tomjanovich's cancer has "regressed" after six weeks of treatments, and doctors said he has "shown great improvement."

"We are pleased with the results," Dr. Rick Goldfarb, deputy chief of urology at Methodist Hospital in Houston, said Monday. "We are optimistic that with continued treatment he will do very well."

In fact, the treatment is working so well that Tomjanovich -- who took a leave of absence as Rockets coach on March 26 to concentrate on his illness and eventually resigned on May 23 -- may avoid surgery.

Tomjanovich, 54, has received six topical treatments since the March 17 diagnosis of superficial bladder cancer. Doctors opted for the topical treatment because the abnormal cells had not reached the muscle of his bladder.

"He's definitely showed improvement," Rockets physician Dr. Jim Muntz told the Houston Chronicle. "He'll continue to receive treatment and surveillance. The best explanation I can give is that it's like a skin cancer. You look, relook, treat it, come back and look again. But every area we looked at definitely looked a lot better."

Tomjanovich, who had his latest biopsy on Friday, will be taking additional medication for the next two weeks.

"We really are encouraged that the cancer regressed and I know that Rudy is going to be fine," Goldfarb said. "He has certainly shown great improvement."

Tomjanovich had coached the Rockets to NBA titles in 1994 and 1995, producing a 502-397 record before leaving the club in March. The Rockets were guided by assistant Larry Smith the rest of the season and failed to make the playoffs despite having two All-Star players in guard Steve Francis and rookie center Yao Ming.

The Rockets then hired Jeff Van Gundy as their new head coach on June 11. Tomjanovich, who guided the U.S. to Olympic gold in 2000, is still on the club's payroll as a consultant, and he has said he might return to coach, although his first priority remains his health.

Tomjanovich has proven he can overcome health problems.

In 1977, while playing for the Rockets, he was punched in the face by the Lakers' Kermit Washington. The blow nearly killed Tomjanovich, with spinal fluid leaking from his brain.

But he eventually returned to play 188 more games, averaging 15.3 points and 6 rebounds before retiring in 1981.

Tomjanovich also has battled alcoholism, eventually going through a successful treatment program in 1998.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.