As many of my regular readers know I’m a big fan of Tony Snow. I’ve posted many video vignettes of his Press Briefings and regularly comment on how well he does against the biased and partisan White House Press Corps. Sadly it appears the cancer he thought he had beat has returned and has metastized to his liver:
Presidential spokesman Tony Snow’s surgery to remove a small growth showed that his cancer has returned, the White House said Tuesday.
Snow, 51, had his colon removed in 2005 and underwent six months of chemotherapy after being diagnosed with colon cancer. A small growth was discovered last year in his lower right pelvic area, and it was removed on Monday. Doctors determined that it was cancerous, and that his cancer had metastized, or spread, to his liver, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.
She said Snow is resting comfortably after his surgery and has pledged to aggressively fight the disease with an as-yet-to-be-determined treatment course.
“He said he’s going to beat it again," Perino said in an emotional morning briefing with White House reporters. "When I talked to him, he was in very good spirits.”
My thoughts and prayers go out to Tony and his family.
We all know that Tony won’t go down without a fight. That’s why I admire him so. Kim at Wizbang has updated that if the cancer is small and in the liver it’s still operable:
Here’s additional information on colon cancer in the liver. As this site notes, if the recurring colon cancer shows up in the liver and is in one lump per se, it can be treated by having it removed. Reports have said this morning that Tony’s cancer is the size of the tip of a pinky finger:
Colon cancer may metastasize to the liver, lung, or other locations. When the site of metastasis is a single organ, such as the liver, and the cancer is confined to a single defined area within the organ, patients may benefit from local treatment directed at that single site of metastasis. The most common location of metastasis with colon cancer is the liver. Highly selected patients with isolated areas of colon cancer can be cured if the primary cancer in the colon and the isolated area of cancer outside the colon can be surgically removed. Several clinical trials have reported that isolated areas of colon cancer in the liver or lungs can be removed surgically and cured in approximately 25% of circumstances. Surgical removal of cancer can be accomplished with acceptable toxicity, even in community cancer centers, with mortality rates of approximately 2%.
Which seems to be good news. A commentor at Wizbang made the following observation:
Kim: "From what I understand, and someone correct me if I’m wrong, but a cancer from somewhere else in the body that has shown up in the liver is much easier to treat than liver cancer itself."
Sadly, this is incorrect. The comment I think you are referring to, is the clarification that a cancer is identified by where it first is discovered. So, a cancer which begins in the colon and moves to attack the liver is not now liver cancer, but rather colon cancer which has moved into the liver. The distinction is, there is no generic "cancer", but many different kinds, and what is needed to fight each depends on a number of factors, such as the type of cancer, how advanced it was at discovery, the patient’s general health and immune system, and success in prior regimens. Mr. Snow is showing the brave face, but in fact we do not know his specific prognosis, and at this time even his oncologists may not be sure themselves. The only thing I know we can and should do, is like the President to pray for Tony Snow
Say a prayer for Tony, he is definately one of the good guys fighting the good fight.< UPDATE
Below are all the Tony Snow posts I have done, many with video of the briefings:
- Tony Snow Is The Man!
- Tony Snow’s First Day
- Tony vs. Gregory
- The Tony Snow Show
- Helen Thomas Needs To Be Put Out To Pasture
- The Embryonic Stem Cell Debate
- Gotta See This Tony Snow Answer
- Tony Snow Briefing 072406
- Tony Snow – Funny Questions & Good Answers
- Tony Snow – The Good, The Bad, & The Funny
- One Week In Tony Snow’s World
- Tony Snow Briefings – Feb 13 thru 16, 2007
UPDATE II
Last May, on Tony’s first day on the job, he became quite emotional when talking about his battle with cancer. It’s a must-see:
Other’s Blogging:
See author page
This is heart breaking.
I’ve been a ‘fan’ of Tony Snow for a long time – back to his shows on Fox in the early years and his radio show.
He and his family are in our prayers.
Ironically my wife started her bout with cancer just last week. Elizabeth Edwards and Tony Snow are just two terrific people by all accounts in a town usually full of hate.
My wife and I will certainly add Tony to our prayer list.
http://www.itsjoansjourney.blogspot.com/
YES, Tony is one of the good guys.
Pray as hard as you can for Tony! (I am) Nothing is impossible with God’s help.
I’m sorry to hear that Cent, although we differ in our believe systems almost 180 degrees I wish only the best for your wife and your family.
Tony was one of the best things to come along in radio since Rush. He is by far the best Press Secretary we’ve had since I’ve followed politics and he just a genuinely nice person. I’m praying hard for him.
Thanks Curt. You F’ing rock. It may only be 45 – 90 degrees FYI. We just both like to argue. Rush still rules, new album comes out May 1st.
It could be many different types of cancer. One of the most common types of cervical cancer is squamous cell. My mother had squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix and it quickly spread throughout her pelvic region and into the lymph nodes in her groin. Lymph nodes are located throughout the body and are connected by the lymphatic system. When something affects one set of the nodes, it easily spreads to the others in the system. My mother’s cancer spread to the nodes in her neck and it became difficult for her to breath. The good news is that this type of cancer can usually be managed and put into remission if it is caught early. You can never be sure of how cancer will react to treatments such as chemo and radiation. My mom’s cancer did not respond at all but my best friend’s mother is in remition. The doctor will do testing and decide which treatment will be best and after a few rounds of treatment, check to see if it is working. The treatments are hard though and even when they are working its very scary.