Arlen Specter Has Hodgkin's Disease

[Shrek]

Link

United States Sen. Arlen Specter (R., Pa.) has announced that he has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease, in a press release from his office Wednesday afternoon.

In a press release, Specter said he had experienced persistent fevers and enlarged lymph nodes under his left arm and above his left clavicle.

(SNIP)

His office said Specter is expected to receive chemotherapy over the next 24 to 32 weeks and he is expected to be able to perform all duties, including chairing the Senate Judiciary Committee.

"Sen. Specter's Hodgkin's disease has a five-year survival rate of 70 percent. He is in superb physical condition, particularly in light of his daily squash regimen, " said Specter's oncologist, Dr. John H. Glick.

[flyarm]

1. ahhh bless him..

he may be the only repug i have respect for !!


sending only good thoughts!

fly

[Yavin4]

2. Is This The Good Hodgkin's or The Bad Hodgkin's?

Right now, all of the "Curb Your Enthusiam" fans are laughing.

[proudbluestater]

48. Yavin! I wasn't as much interested in Specter, as I was interested in

whether somebody would make this comment!!! LOVE Curb Your Enthusiasm!

Sorry to hear about Specter. At times, he has shown himself to be a decent human being. Fleeting moments.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[doxieone]

4. Specter has cancer (Hodgkin's disease)

marketwatch.com ^ | 5/16/05 | Stephanie I. Cohen

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said Wednesday he has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease, a form of cancer. Specter is expected to receive chemotherapy every two weeks over the next 24 to 32 weeks at the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania. A statement from the senator's office said he expects to be able to continue to serve as chairman during his treatment. "Senator Specter has an excellent chance of being completely cured of his Hodgkin's disease," his doctor said.


snip

Back with link
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=peopleNews&storyID=2005-02-16T223204Z_01_WBT002484_RTRIDST_0_PEOPLE-CONGRESS-SPECTER-DC.XML

[doxieone]

5. Link is for Reuters

[msanthrope]

12. Rendell, the governor, is a Democrat here in PA

This means an appointment of a Democratic Senator.

That, with Casey running against Santorum makes it possible for my state to go blue--totally, with two blue Senators.

[seriousstan]

6. Arlen Specter Has Hodgkin's Disease

United States Sen. Arlen Specter (R., Pa.) has announced that he has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease, in a press release from his office Wednesday afternoon.

In a press release, Specter said he had experienced persistent fevers and enlarged lymph nodes under his left arm and above his left clavicle.

The statement said Specter received testing on Feb. 14 at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. The testing involved biopsy of a lymph node and biopsy of bone marrow.

The lymph node was positive for Hodgkin's disease. The bone marrow biopsy showed no cancer. A follow up PET scan and MRI established Specter has stage 4B Hodgkin's disease, the statement said.

http://www.nbc10.com/news/4205235/detail.html?rss=phi&psp=news

[wicket]

7. oh no!!!!

I hope he will be ok :(

[Fleshdancer]

8. Best wishes to him and his family. n/t

[CoffeeCat]

9. I thought Stage 4 was pretty dire...

I'm no doctor, but there are 4 stages of Hodgkin's, correct?

I thought Stage 4 was the most serious with a terrible prognosis.

The press release and quotes make things sound very optimistic.

I hope I've misunderstood what "Stage 4" means.

I do wish him the very best.

[trackfan]

11. You are correct, but Hodgkins still usually responds well

to treatment even at that stage.

[CoffeeCat]

22. Thanks for the info. Good to hear (nt)

[leesa]

39. In younger people it does, not so well in older folks.

[amazona]

24. Hodgkin's Disease very beatable

My friend was told, "If you have to have cancer, Hodgkin's is the one to have." One of my friend's tumors was the size of a grapefruit -- it was inoperable because of where it was near his heart -- and he's now fine after chemo/radiation.

I would be cautiously optimistic. They have been doing wonderful things with Hodgkin's Disease these days.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[Ramsey]

44. Hodgkin's is special

Hodgkin's lymphoma is one of the few malignancies with a high cure rate even when it is advanced. The overall survival is anywhere from 50-70% for advanced Hodgkin's, depending upon other factors.

However, old age is an adverse risk factor in Hodgkin's, an Specter is very old for this disease. Older age may limit the ability to give full-dose chemotherapy, the mainstay of treatment.

[proudbluestater]

49. No expert here, but with a scale going only to 5, 4 would seem dire.

Then again, Hodgkins is considered one of the most treatable cancers.

Many people survive cancer now that would not have a decade or so ago. I have a young friend at work who we thought was at death's doorstep. Three months later, he is back at work. Praise God!

[hopein08]

10. No matter what...

you've got to wish him the best.

[Hell in a Handbasket]

13. oh, shit, what are the odds of him being replaces with another 'moderate'

this could have quite an impact.

[msanthrope]

14. The governor selects is replacement. Democrat.

With Casey running against Santorum, we have chance for two blue Senators.

[Hell in a Handbasket]

17. i mean, if hes not considered well enough to be the chair.

strom thurmond showed us that you can remain a senator with minimal capacity.

[DCal]

20. Wonder if he would choose Casey

which would not be good news for beating Santorum.

[msanthrope]

21. No, choose someone else since Casey is looking great

in his polling against Santorum...

[INDIA]

38. I thought...

That Hafer was running? Isn't Casey after the governor's spot?

[pmbryant]

16. I don't think he's planning to resign

At least according to the article. And fortunately, it sounds like his prognosis is decent, so I suspect we'll still have Arlen Specter to kick around for quite a bit longer.

--Peter

[Mojambo]

15. I wish him the best of luck in beating it. n/t

[Bluebear]

18. And Falwell marked the news by bashing him on Crossfire today

[blondeatlast]

29. Don't that just warm my Christian heart? SARCASM.

Falwell is a scumsucking accident of DNA who worships an odd-lot Bible that eliminated the Book of Matthew.

I'll just enjoy the show when Jesus hangs out with the whores and addicts and Falwell is stuck talking wwith Anita Bryant for eternity.

[happynewyear]

19. get well soon Sen. Specter!

God what an awful shock! I wish him and his family the best. He is a good man and a hard worker and an asset to our country! I know he can beat this!

:kick:

[Merope215]

23. Best wishes and good luck to him

I hope he beats it, and best wishes to his family.

[Piperay]

25. Wishing him all the best

he is one of the few decent and respectable members of the Republican party.

[okasha]

27. This sounds more hopeful than not

Years ago, friend of mine was diagnosed with Hodgkin's and told she had three months to live. She was twenty-two and had a pair of babies in diapers.

When she died last year, she was sixty-four. This thing is beatable, and here's wishing the Senator a full recovery and good long years yet.

[Straight Shooter]

26. I hope he appreciates the benefit of his excellent health insurance.

And I hope he bears that in mind as he considers how many of us would be faced with catastrophe if we were in his shoes.

I wish him a full return to health, and the courage and strength to endure the trauma of living with and treating the cancer.

[blondeatlast]

31. Amen to both of your wishes.

I struggle with a chronic disease and not a day goes by I don't fret about losing my employer-sponsored health insurance.

I do wish him health, and the wisdom of your words as well.

[dbt]

28. Specter: Impeach Clinton Again?

Let the record reflect that the Honorable Arlen Specter was speculating on this radical tangent some time AFTER Clinton was impeached and found NOT GUILTY. He is on record in the MSM as saying it needed to be explored.

No sympathy here.

:freak:
dbt

[bunkerbuster1]

46. Well, plenty of sympathy here.

Get better, Arlen.

[alphadog]

50. So...

what, you think this is karma biting him in the ass, but you think your karma's okay with making statements like that?

Best to the Senator, event though I don't much agree with him

[ChemEng]

30. Good luck......

No one deserves this scourge of humanity....

[The_Casual_Observer]

32. I would guess that he will get a little better treatment than somebody

who couldn't afford insurance. But I suppose that his life is more valuable that the other guy, being that he is a senator and all.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[diamond14]

34. 75 years old with Hodgkins disease.....if he had any sense...he'd

retire while he fights for his life....


it's insane to think that he can be 75 years old, with Stage 4 Hodgkins disease, and undergo CHEMO-therapy for 32 weeks in Pennsylvania, commute to DC, and still serve as a Senator AND serve on the Senate Judiciary Committee...that's just totally crazy....I hope the PEOPLE OF PENNSYLVANIA demand better representation for their tax dollars...


guess supreme court justice Rhenquist set the LOW standard...the guy hasn't shown up for work since OCTOBER 2004....paid for by US, the USA Taxpayer...

[hezekkia]

42. but

BUT... if Arlen resigns, Charlie GrASSley becomes chair of the Judiciary Committee.

:scared:

[against all enemies]

35. Did the Right Wing of the Republican party " Yushchenko " him?

They have been pissed off about his abortion views.

[CBHagman]

36. I remember how he survived a brain tumor.

If I recall correctly, Senator Specter had a non-malignant brain tumor some years back and came through that experience well.

Still, one can't help but think that some people have EVERYTHING piled on them, such as a series of bouts with illness. I do hope that his chemo goes well and that the doctors have been as thorough as possible.

Gute Besserung!

[Mandate My Ass]

47. That's correct

Can't recall who treated him for that but Glick is about the best oncologist in Philly and beyond. AS is in good hands.

[raggedcompany]

37. Bill Hicks wouldn't be afraid to say it, so neither am I:

Good!

[Zhade]

43. Man, Hicks was a genius.

As for Mr. Specter, perhaps he can "find" a "Magic Bullet" cure. I don't wish him ill, he knows too much that we have to pry out of him!

[Bridget Burke]

45. I'm sure some thought Pancreatic Cancer was good....

When it killed Bill Hicks.

[flygal]

40. Wow, he's been around a long time - I wish him well

[wellst0nev0ter]

41. So, I'll Guess We Will Be Expecting A Pray-In By The Fundy Right

anytime soon, yes?

[alphadog]

51. Fundies don't like Specter

He's too moderate

[Wheaty]

52. oh boy.

Gosh it weird that someone would be wishing Spectre well, but as Santorum is the other Pennsylvania senator, well the uhh I guess good luck Arlen is what is apropos here.

But as a PA resident I'd like to have two nice Liberal with a capital L dems as my senators.

Can you say Wheaty are you conflicted much?

[fortyfeetunder]

53. Change of heart possible?

If fetal stem cells were discovered to cure Hodgkins disesase, you think Specter would have a change of heart?