O’Neill in Stable Condition After Seven-Hour Cancer Operation

Surgeons on Wednesday removed a golf ball-sized, cancerous tumor from the bowel of former House Speaker Thomas P. (Tip) O’Neill Jr. (D-Mass.) and said he came through the operation “beautifully.”

The rectal cancer was completely removed, said Dr. Richard Wilson, chief of surgical oncology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Results of tests to determine if the cancer had spread to other organs are expected to be available by Friday. Wilson said that he did not detect any further cancer during the seven-hour surgery.

The 74-year-old O’Neill, reported to be in stable condition, also received a permanent colostomy, an artificial route for defecation, Wilson said.

“He’s tolerated it beautifully and I think he’ll have no problem with it,” he said.

Wilson said patients who go through colostomy operations “live an absolutely normal life. This is our plan for (O’Neill) and this is what we will teach him.” He will remain hospitalized for about two weeks.

O’Neill was admitted to Brigham and Women’s for tests Sunday after leaving Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, where he underwent a biopsy and other medical examinations.

Wilson announced Monday that O’Neill had a “polyp-like” growth on the lower six inches of his bowel and predicted that the surgery would be successful because the cancer was detected early.

Wilson added that O’Neill probably had the cancer for two months. He sought treatment following episodes of bleeding, a common symptom of rectal cancer.

O’Neill was said to be in good spirits before the operation. He spoke with family members Tuesday and took a call from President Reagan as he went through preparations for the operation. Reagan’s call was private and O’Neill did not say what was discussed, Kathleen O’Donnell of the hospital staff said.

Rectal cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer among men. The American Cancer Society predicts that 43,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year, and that 8,000 people will die of the disease.

Rectal and colon cancer will account for about 145,000 cases of the disease this year, second only to lung cancer in frequency.

O’Neill retired in January after 34 years in the House. He has an office in Boston and lives on Cape Cod with his wife, Mildred.