U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, New Jersey’s 86-year-old senior senator, was diagnosed with treatable cancer in the stomach in the last 24 hours and will begin chemotherapy today.
The Democrat still plans to finish out his current term – his fifth in the Senate – and seek re-election in 2014.
“This doesn’t change any of that,” Lautenberg’s chief aide, Dan Katz, said of the senator’s political plans. “After he receives his treatment, back to normal.”
Moments ago, Lautenberg’s office issued a statement from the senator’s oncologist, James F. Holland, saying:
“We expect a full and complete recovery for Senator Lautenberg. The senator will be treated with chemotherapy administered approximately every three weeks. We anticipate that he will receive between six and eight treatments, and in between treatments, the senator is expected to be back at work in the Senate.”
Lautenberg took ill Monday while at home in Cliffside Park. He fell down and phoned his doctor and an ambulance. The senator directed the ambulance to transport him to Manhattan for treatment at Mount Sinai Medical Center, where he has been hospitalized ever since. Lautenberg never lost consciousness, his aides said.
Doctors quickly determined that Lautenberg had fallen due to blood loss from a bleeding ulcer. The bleeding was stopped during an endoscopy. Additional pathology tests revealed the ulcer was caused by a b-cell lymphoma of the stomach.
In recent days, Lautenberg had been in touch with his staff and was on the phone a short time ago discussing the ongoing sex scandal surrounding golf star Tiger Woods , his aides said .
This is the first time Lautenberg has been diagnosed with cancer. His last health scare occurred seven years ago when he suffered a head injury in a skiing accident.
If Lautenberg's health forces him to resign, it could hurt the Democratic Party. Under New Jersey law, Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, would be able to appoint a replacement if a senator left office.
After Christie was elected governor in November, some Democratic state lawmakers moved to change the way senate vacancies are filled so the governor would have to name a replacement from the party of the departing senator. They did not adopt the change.
If there is a vacancy, the governor could name a replacement of his choice, call for a special election or leave the seat open.
STATEMENT FROM THE OFFICE OF SENATOR LAUTENBERG
"After several days of hospitalization and testing, Senator Lautenberg’s doctors have diagnosed that he has a B-Cell Lymphoma of the stomach. This is a curable tumor, and will require treatment over the next few months.
"The Senator is under the care of Dr. James F. Holland and Dr. Martin Goldman of Mount Sinai Medical Center."
Previous coverage:
• U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg remains hospitalized after getting treatment for bleeding ulcer
• U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg is treated for bleeding ulcer
• U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg is taken to area hospital after fall