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Sen. Ron Wyden diagnosed with prostate cancerPublished: Thursday, December
16, 2010, 2:06 PM Updated: Thursday, December 16, 2010, 3:46 PM
[image: Charles Pope, The Oregonian]
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By Charles Pope, The Oregonian
<http://connect.oregonlive.com/user/cpope/index.html>
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size<http://media.oregonlive.com/politics_impact/photo/wyden1jpg-4f3e201c1eb194a7.jpg>Stephanie
Yao Long/The OregonianU.S. Senator Ron Wyden speaks to The Oregonian's
editorial board in October
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Ron Wyden
<http://gov.oregonlive.com/Congress/Ron-Wyden/> has
been diagnosed with prostate cancer and will undergo surgery Monday, his
office said Thursday.

The initial diagnosis came during Wyden's annual physical in November and
was confirmed by tests. Spokeswoman Jennifer Hoelzer said the cancer is in
it's earliest stages and doctors told Wyden that his prognosis is good.

"Thanks to routine screening this was diagnosed very early and I expect a
full and speedy recovery," the 61-year-old Wyden said in a statement. The
diagnosis came soon after Wyden won a third full-term to the Senate.

Wyden will have the surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, the same
hospital that successfully treated Sen. John Kerry in 2002.

"After reviewing all the options with multiple physicians, I decided to take
a proactive approach and have surgery," Wyden said in his statement.

Prostate cancer is relatively common in men, with more than 200,000 men
diagnosed each year. About one in six men develop the disease but far fewer
- about one in 33 - die from it. Prostate cancer is generally slow growing
and can be detected through routine tests, according to theProstate Cancer
Foundation <http://www.pcf.org/site/c.leJRIROrEpH/b.5699537/k.BEF4/Home.htm>
.

Wyden says he continues to feel good and has maintained a normal Senate
schedule. In interviews and interactions before the announcement Wyden did
not show any signs that he was ill. He most recently appeared on the Senate
floor Tuesday to announce his opposition to the $858 billion tax bill
President Barack Obama negotiated with Republicans.

Even so, he will miss votes next week at the same time the Senate is
lurching to a finish with Democratic leaders scrambling for every vote.

“I scheduled the surgery for the Monday before Christmas anticipating that
the Senate would have recessed by that time and that there would be no
disruption to my work in Oregon or Washington," his statement said.

"However, it now appears that I will be missing votes tomorrow and possibly
next week while I prepare and undergo this procedure. I expect to be back
to work full-time when the Senate reconvenes in January," the statement
said.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is hoping to push through a massive
spending bill to keep the government operating through early next year, the
START treaty on nuclear weapons with Russia, repeal of the military's "Don't
Ask, Don't Tell policy, as well as a controversial immigration bill known as
the DREAM Act. That bill would provide a path to citizenship, under certain
conditions, to immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children.

In each case 60 - or more - votes are needed for passage.

Wyden's aides said he plans to use the time between the Dec. 20 surgery and
Jan. 5 when Congress reconvenes to recuperate. But they also said Wyden
might be available to vote during that time if his doctors approve and his
vote is needed.

Wyden's diagnosis adds his name to a growing list of prominent politicans
who had prostate cancer yet had long careers. The list includes Gov. Ted
Kulongoski who discovered he had prostate cancer in 2001. Others include
former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, current senators Mike Crapo of Idaho
and Chris Dodd of Connecticutt. Former senator and Repubican candidate for
president Bob Dole is another well-known politician with prostate cancer.
--
Eric D. Schwerin
Rosemont Seneca Partners
(202) 333-1880
eschwerin@rosemontseneca.co