By James Oliphant and Thomas H. Maugh Ii
February 06, 2009
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer today. The court said the cancer, which is one of the most lethal of diseases, was in its early stages.
In a statement, the court said the cancer was discovered during a routine scan in late January. The scan revealed a small tumor, about 0.4 inches across, in the center of the pancreas. Ginsburg, 75, had experienced no symptoms before the discovery of the cancer, the court said.
She underwent surgery today at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. She is expected to remain in the hospital for seven to 10 days.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said President Obama's "thoughts and prayers are with her and her family right now, and we hope for and wish her a speedy recovery right now."
Ginsburg , who was appointed to the court in 1993 by President Clinton, is a survivor of colon cancer and underwent months of radiation and chemotherapy treatments in 1999. She never missed a day on the court during her recovery.
Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States -- is especially deadly. With nearly 38,000 victims a year, only about 5% survive for five years after diagnosis, primarily because the disease has usually begun spreading widely before symptoms appear.
The key, doctors said, is whether the cancer has spread beyond the pancreas.
If it has not, then Ginsburg "is a very lucky woman," said Randolph Hecht, director of the gastrointestinal oncology program at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Because it was so small and localized, she probably has a 30% to 40% chance of surviving for five years, he said.
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Pancreatic cancer -- the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States -- is especially deadly.
The only curative treatment for pancreatic cancer is surgery, and that is effective only if it is identified early.
The fact that Ginsburg underwent surgery, however, is encouraging, said Dr. Gagandeep Singh, director of the Liver and Pancreas Center at John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica. Only 5% to 10% of pancreatic cancer patients have either Stage 1 or 2 cancer and qualify for surgery, he said. If the cancer has spread, then Ginsburg could undergo chemotherapy.
Recent victims of the disease include opera star Luciano Pavarotti and actors Michael Landon and Patrick Swayze. Steve Jobs , chief executive of Apple Inc., has a less common and more curable endocrine tumor of the pancreas, which is typically curable with simple surgery.
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