Thompson says cancer won't derail his candidacy

Rochester Post-Bulletin ^ | 9/8/2007 2:13:16 PM | Margaret Talev

[lesser_satan]

LE MARS, Iowa -- Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson said Friday that the lymphoma he was diagnosed with a few years ago is a chronic disease that could resurface, but that it's treatable and should have no bearing on his longevity, candidacy or ability to lead the nation.

"I've never been ill from it a day in my life," Thompson told a small group of reporters during a wide-ranging interview on his campaign bus from Sioux City to the farm town of Le Mars. "I wouldn't be thinking about doing this at all if I had any questions about it."

On Day Two of his campaign, Thompson also weighed in on President Bush, Iraq, abortion and gay rights. At the same time, he continued a low-key pace: three stops on Friday after two the day before.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Post #20 LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

[Plutarch]

...Fred’s is something that’s chronic, but not life-threatening.

It is true that Fred has a relatively rare form of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, that is indolent, (slow to progress), and he has never had symptoms that made him ill. However, his doctors haven't really discussed his prognosis in detail.

His form of lymphoma is called nodal marginal zone lymphoma .

The prognosis of nodal marginal zone lymphoma is discussed in a recent review article . 5-year survival is estimated at 50-70%.

Thompson's prognosis would appear to be better than the average 30-50% likelihood of death within 5 years of the diagnosis (he was diagnosed in 2004), as his appears to have been initially treated at an earlier stage, he has gotten this far without evidence of early transformation into diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and he has been treated with newer immune medications not available at the time these survival studies were done. More detail about the pathology would need be available to better estimate a prognosis (and such records really should be made available). Based on the information that is available, it cannot be said that his NHL is not life-threatening.

[Soul Seeker]

I’m sure hugh Hewitt will be relieved to hear this.

[org.whodat]

I think Ruity’s cancer is completely gone,

Bullshit, Tony Snow thought his was completely gone also.

[lesser_satan]

I don’t know much about cancer, but wasn’t Snow’s a different kind?

[hoosierpearl]

We have Fred who disclosed this early.

Then we had Clinton who never did disclose his medical reports.

Which is worse, the one you tells you or the one who won’t? Doubt there will be any disclosure about Hillary either.

[org.whodat]

New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani Prostate Cancer. Tony Snow’s colon cancer.

Statement wasn't about the kind, it was about the fact that someone who has had cancer has a higher probability of it returning.

[DryFly]

From your name I will assume you have a medical background and assume you know far more than me about such things. But I will also assume you know that cure rates for skin cancers and prostate cancer are far higher than most cancers. I will also assume you know that non-Hodgkins Lymphoma is basically uncurable. So how can you compare it with the others. If he follows the course of the three people I know who have had it, Fred will be dead within 3-5 years.

[DryFly]

uncurable = incurable

[Palladin]

You are a wise person.

FT is trying to hold onto life with both hands. Remarrying at a late age and fathering two toddlers is a sure sign.

Not that there’s anything wrong with it.

[Politicalmom]

CAVUTO: All right, now, I don't want to be a crepehanger, but I know how illness courses along the way. And in 1992, sir, I had the pleasure of sitting down with former Senator Paul Tsongas, who, as you know, had a different kind of lymphoma, and he had considered himself in full remission.

Like you, he didn't say cured, and he ultimately died some years later. In fact, had he been elected president he would have died in his presidency. Americans are going to say that, and they are going to wonder about that, and they are going to remember that.

THOMPSON: See, that is one of the reasons why I'm doing what I'm doing, because I'm well aware of Paul Tsongas and his situation. My doctors tell me that he had - of the 30-some odd - maybe 35 different kinds of lymphoma, he had an aggressive kind.

CAVUTO: Very aggressive.

THOMPSON: And...

CAVUTO: A kind that recurs.

[shrinkermd]

It is still NHL no matter what you say. FT is hopefully right and he will die of old age; however, scan up to some of the other posts if you doubt me.

[shrinkermd]

Excellent and informed post. Thank you.

[napscoordinator]

I will also assume you know that non-Hodgkins Lymphoma is basically uncurable. So how can you compare it with the others. If he follows the course of the three people I know who have had it, Fred will be dead within 3-5 years.

I am not sure that this is true. I know that three people you knew did die within five years, but I do know a person who has this and that was in 1998. He is still alive and well so far.