Kerry Will Have Prostate Cancer Surgery; Prognosis Called Good

Sen. John F. Kerry, an early leader in the race for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination, announced Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and will undergo surgery to remove the gland today.

At a late-afternoon news conference, Kerry, 59, said he expects to make a full recovery.

“It may sound strange to some of you, but I really feel very lucky as I stand here,” Kerry said. “The reason I feel lucky is I am going to be cured.”

Dr. Patrick C. Walsh, a urologist who will perform the operation at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, told reporters that Kerry’s cancer was at “an early curable stage.” Both Walsh and Kerry said tests have shown that the cancer has not spread.

Based on his overall health, the early detection of the illness and the localized nature of the disease, Kerry had a “97% chance” of being cancer-free after 10 years, Walsh said.

Analysts and operatives for Kerry’s rivals in the 2004 race said the illness is unlikely to have a lasting impact on the contest as long as Kerry’s health does, in fact, recover. Officially, the Massachusetts senator has only formed a committee to explore entering the race, but he has actively hired staff and is considered virtually certain to run.

“We’re far away enough from the campaigning that his medical condition will not in any way disqualify him from running, should he choose to run,” said Tad Devine, a senior advisor to Al Gore during his run for the presidency in 2000. “It’s obviously going to depend on his prognosis and treatment, but if he’s treated for this and given a clean bill of health and engages in vigorous campaigning ... it will have no long-term impact.”

Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer among men. This year, according to the American Cancer Society, almost 221,000 new cases and almost 29,000 deaths are anticipated.

The society calculates that about one in every six men will develop cancer in the prostate, a walnut-sized gland that adds nutrients and fluid to sperm. Kerry’s father died of the disease at age 85.

Survival rates for prostate cancer caught in the early stages of the disease are extremely high, experts say.

“I expect that he will return to full speed quickly and will enjoy a complete and rapid recovery,” Walsh said.

Walsh, who has pioneered prostate-removal surgery that spares the nerves in the area, said Kerry had a 99% chance of avoiding incontinence and a 90% probability of retaining full sexual function.

The surgery is expected to take about two hours. Kerry will remain in the hospital for three days, Walsh said.

Kerry said he plans to be holding meetings and working on the telephone by next week, and to be appearing in two weeks at campaign events on the West Coast. He said he intends to “continue to lead the active, physical life that I’ve led all my life.”

Walsh told reporters he considered that schedule “realistic.”

A timeline released by Kerry’s staff said he received the first indications of a possible problem in a blood test conducted by the Senate physician last fall. That test showed an increase in his prostate-specific antigen level, which can mean that the gland is either enlarged or cancerous.

A subsequent blood test at Massachusetts General Hospital also revealed an elevated PSA level. On Dec. 20, Kerry underwent a biopsy; on Christmas Eve, he learned the biopsy had revealed cancer.

At his news conference, Kerry faced sharp questioning from a Boston Globe reporter about why he had not disclosed the illness when the reporter recently asked him if he was “sick.”

Kerry said he had not disclosed the illness in the brief exchange -- which his aides say occurred about 10 days ago as the senator was entering a car -- because he had not yet informed all of his family about his illness.

“I believe members of my family deserve to learn not reading the newspapers, but deserve to learn from me,” said Kerry, who is married and has two daughters and three stepsons.

He added: “I wanted to be able to announce this to America in the way that I am doing it today ... where I have the medical answers, where my family is fully notified, and I am able to do it on my terms.”

Questions about physical health have had unpredictable effects on political campaigns. In 2000, then-New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani withdrew from his Senate race against Hillary Rodham Clinton when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. But then-Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) underwent surgery to remove his cancerous prostate in 1991; the issue had no apparent impact on his 1996 presidential race against Bill Clinton.

Kerry’s campaign made available a summary of his recent medical checkups, provided Walsh to reporters for extensive questioning, and even said it would release the results of his biopsy.