Posted on 09/13/2007 8:21:01 PM PDT by Rennes Templar
WASHINGTON -- Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson has a rare type of cancer that specialists say is incurable but not life-threatening over the short term.
Although the 65-year-old former senator and actor says his disease is in remission, studies of other cases indicate that it's likely to return within the next two to five years.
But cancer experts say his malignancy -- a slow-growing disruption of the immune system known as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma -- can be well managed with drugs and needn't interfere with normal activities.
They say Thompson has an excellent chance of survival for at least five to 10 years, based on the experiences of other patients reported in medical journals.
"My understanding is you can expect to live a normal life expectancy," Thompson said Sunday on his campaign bus. But he acknowledged that "it's something that is always potentially there."
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a type of cancer that begins in the cells of the lymph system, a complex network of specialized cells whose task is to detect and destroy invading microbes.
For unknown reasons, some lymph cells occasionally run amok, traveling through the body and forming cancerous lumps that interfere with the immune system.
Sometimes these unruly cells grow rapidly, causing an "aggressive" non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that's often fatal. Sometimes the growth is slow, leading to a case of "indolent," or painless, lymphoma. This is the kind that Thompson has.
-snip-
Thanks to improvements in treatment, patients are surviving longer than they used to. The five-year expected survival rate of 63 percent is up from 48 percent 30 years ago.
Thompson's cancer was detected in 2004, as a lump in his neck. It later spread to other areas. His doctor prescribed a new drug, Rituxan, which drove the disease into remission.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
This is a serious disease, often fatal.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis died of it.
I just love the people who report this stuff from liberal rags. I’m sure they’ve got Thompson’s and the nation’s best interest at heart.
One has to have a brain before it can be diseased.
What about Hillary’s cankles and how they place additional burden on the antifreeze compressor known as her heart?
I see Mrs. Clinton’s affliction as much more damaging to the USA.
Ok I may be confused, so help me get this straight.
Fred's 65, he can expect to live at least another 5 to 10 years with this disease and the average life expectancy of a white male in the United States is a hair over 75 correct?
So where's the problem other than the fact we're all going to die one day unless the Lord comes back in our lifetimes?
I just jammed a shrimp fork in my eye. I prefer the pain to thinking about whatever the hell you just posted. LOL!
See post 11. The fact is we don’t know how this will affect
him. He’s 67, with cancer and facing a gruehling schedule for the next 14 months. Those are not in his favor. He has a good prognosis and spirit, they are. We don’t want it to influence voting but I can guarantee over the next year the whole country is going to be a lot more familiar with Hodgkins disease.
The more I look at him, the more I don’t see a two-term President. Dare I say less than a one-termer. We have to be ready for this.
This is fine as far as plain survival, but the job he’s trying for is very hard and very stressful. Presidents really do have to be healthy.
Some seem to breeze through it, like Clinton or Reagan, others it ages. Bush is looking like an old man now.
The Republican field looks like it may suffer from physical liabilities. Giuliani had cancer and McCain not only is rather old for the job, but seems to be acting old.
Bookmark
Now that is a serious condition.
"Thompson was treated with radiation and rituximab (Rituxan). Since then, Dr. Cheson said, non-invasive scans have found no evidence of disease in Thompson, and he is asymptomatic.
Nodal marginal zone lymphomas account for only 1% to 3% of all NHLs. "Some lymphomas are very aggressive, but people with slow-growing types, like Senator Thompson's, more often die from natural causes associated with old age, rather than from the disease,'' Dr. Cheson said. "
lol! It is disgusting.
we do not have the play the game. They're counting on it.
Funny nothing is mentioned about Rudi's very devastating bout with cancer -
Fred's very likely going to be around longer than his 8 years in office...besides, which do you think we'd be safer with - even just one term with Fred or 8 years of the clintoooone gang?
Let's not get suckered in on this. Let's not bring that Trojan Horse through the gate.
This is no problem of course. The anti-fred's are trying their best to cast doubt about Fred's health in a vain attempt to hurt Fred's campaign for prez. It won't work. I doubt if there is anyone out there that likes Fred for president but will vote for someone else because of the lymphoma.
Its all just gasbaggery!
Spiff, that is the natural and inevitable result of NHL, and only a fool would run for Prez with that kind of a prognosis, and only a fool would overlook it in the voting booth. NHL is a death sentence — a long slow one, but it is inescapable. I saw my dad die of it two years ago, and it is not pretty.
“Thompson’s illness is slow, serious”
My God the negative stories are practically writing themselves these days aren’t they?
Bingo!
Let's not get suckered into this
He will pick Rudy as his VP.
We need to pray for Fred.
Pray hard.
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