Rudy claimed it was cancer, but was up and working almost immediately after quitting the Senate race. To those playin' violins about his debilitating cancer and the chemo treatment, here are excerpts from news reports that tell the real story:
Rudy had radioactive seed implantation on September 15 and was up on his feet in a day. There was no chemo.
He missed a day or two of work and within a week he had marched in a parade, presided over a town hall-style meeting, gone on the stump for Lazio, and conducted daily press conferences, including one pushing a $1 Billion taxpayer subsidized stadium in Manhattan's West Side after holding meetings with both the Yankees and Jets owners that week.
Back in May, 2000, when he dropped out a mere 11 days before the State Convention where he was to be nominated leaving the GOP high and dry (with no other choice but to recruit Lazio), the doctors said they thought campaigning was perfectly within his physical capabilities and, if he started treatment right way, he would have recovered and been "full speed" by the time the campaign normally kicked in. Instead, he delayed that procedure until September.
IMO, Rudy dropped out because a) he knew he was going to get his arse whooped and b) he had a better $$$offer$$$.