Giuliani Has Prostate Cancer

Updated 10:41 AM ET April 27, 2000

By TIMOTHY WILLIAMS, Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK (AP) - Mayor Rudolph Giuliani announced today he has prostate cancer, and said the disease could affect his campaign for U.S. Senate against first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.

"It's a treatable form of prostate cancer. It was found at an early stage," the 55-year-old Giuliani said, sounding upbeat and frequently smiling during a news conference.

He said a biopsy was performed Wednesday, 2 1/2 weeks after a screening test indicated the followup test was necessary. Treatment options, which include radiation and chemotherapy, have not yet been decided.

Asked how it would affect his run for the Senate, the second-term Republican mayor: "I have no idea. ... I hope that I'd be able to run, but the choice that I'm going to make is going to be based on the treatment that's going to give me the best chance to have a complete cure."

When pressed on whether he would continue his campaign he said: "I don't think it's fair to answer questions about the Senate race right now. ... Should I do it? Would I be able to do it the right way? I hope that's the case but I don't know."

The mayor noted his father died of prostate cancer in 1981, before the latest screening tests.

"It brings up very painful memories, and I miss my father every day of my life," he said.

Cancer of the prostate, a gland involved in semen production, is the second most common type of cancer found in American men, behind skin cancer. A total of 179,300 were diagnosed with the disease in 1999.

Treatments include removal of the chesnut-size gland and radiation. Doctors also often recommend "watchful waiting," or leaving the cancer untreated, in elderly men who are more likely to die first from other ailments.

About three-quarters of men with prostate cancer have elevated levels of a protein called prostate-specific antigen - PSA. Testing blood for PSA has been a standard screening method for older men since about 1990. Giuliani said he had that test 2 1/2 weeks ago.

However, other conditions, such as noncancerous prostate enlargement, also can make PSA levels shoot up, so doctors must perform biopsies to make sure cancer is truly the cause. For every biopsy that detects prostate cancer, two or three others are false alarms.

Treatment options include radiation and chemotherapy. "Some forms of treatment would require taking some time off," Giuliani acknowledged, but said he didn't expect it to be a significant amount of time.

The mayor smiled frequently during the news conference and joked with reporters. Asked whether he would be nicer, he replied, "No way."

-- Hillary (H_Clinton@senate.gov), April 27, 2000

Answers

He's likely to die from a mysterious plane crash first!

-- Porky (Porky@in.cellblockD), April 27, 2000.

Two words: sympathy vote.

-- Brian McLaughlin (brianm@ims.com), April 27, 2000.

Guiliani is flawed. NY deserves perfection. Vote for Hillary--a perfect A-hole!

-- (nemesis@awol.com), April 27, 2000.

Brian,

I sure HOPE your right...

---Hilary hater

-- consumer (shh@aol.com), April 27, 2000.

If I was a New Yorker, I'd vote for Giuliani's cancerous prostate before the cancerous Hillary

-- george (jones@choices.com), April 27, 2000.

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!! we are doomed. sympathy or not--the media will spin this one and he will be declared terminally ill whether it is true or not. I just don't think this country can survive 6 years of another clinton in office.

The only joy I could possibly get from her election is watching her narcissist husband self-destruct because he is NOT going to do well in a supporting role.

-- tt (cuddluppy@aol.com), April 28, 2000.

tt:

In our local paper today, it stated that he was UNSURE now if he will continue the campaign or not.

Bet he dont, Hill wins...:(

-- consumer (shh@aol.com), April 28, 2000.

There must be some significance to announcing this at this point. I think he has decided to stay in the campaign, but is covering himself for the time off he will need to take. It's a long time between now and November, he just won't be on the road as much. Otherwise, why not just keep the matter private until he has decided to withdraw? Unless, of course, he was concerned about a leak and thought he better get the word out himself.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), April 28, 2000.