Marion Barry Undergoes Surgery

Doctors removed Washington Mayor Marion Barry’s cancerous prostate gland Saturday in a two-hour operation described by the head surgeon as smooth, swift and successful.

“I feel very confident that he will be fine,” said Dr. Patrick Walsh, director of the urology department at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Barry’s cancerous tumor appeared “well-contained” and his prostate and some lymph nodes that were also removed will be examined by pathologists to determine if the disease spread, Walsh said. Walsh, who spoke to reporters for about 35 minutes after the operation, was accompanied by the mayor’s wife, Cora Masters Barry.

“You can tell by the smile on my face it’s pretty good news,” she said. “Between him [Walsh] and the good Lord, my husband will be all right.”

Barry, 59, is likely to remain in the Baltimore hospital for at least three days and perhaps as long as a week, depending on his recovery rate, Walsh said. The mayor will likely remain on intravenous pain medication for the next day, but should be able to walk by today, Walsh said.

The mayor announced Nov. 15 that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer discovered about a month earlier during a routine exam. He opted for surgery to treat the tumor, rather than radiation therapy.