Fred Thompson Has Cancer

Possible GOP Presidential Candidate Says Lymphoma Has Not Slowed Him Down

(AP)  Fred Thompson, the potential presidential candidate better known as television's gruff "Law & Order" district attorney, said Wednesday he was diagnosed with lymphoma more than two years ago but the cancer shouldn't affect his life expectancy.

In an interview with Fox News Channel's Neil Cavuto, the former Tennessee senator, 64, said a doctor conducting a physical in 2004 found a bump on his neck, which turned out to be non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He said the disease is in remission with no illness or symptoms, and it won't affect his decision about whether to seek the Republican nomination.

"I wouldn't be doing this if I wasn't satisfied in my own mind as to the nature of it and the fact that not only will I have an average lifespan but in the meantime I will not be affected in anyway by it," Thompson said. "Now of course nobody knows the future but that has been in the history for almost three years now in terms of no symptoms and no sickness."'

Thompson's physician, Dr. Bruce Cheson, hematology chief at Georgetown University Hospital, said the prognosis is good.

"Some lymphomas are very aggressive, but people with slow-growing types, like Senator Thompson's, more often die from natural causes associated with old age, rather than from the disease," Cheson said in a statement.

Thompson's disclosure comes just weeks after Elizabeth Edwards, wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, revealed that her cancer had returned. White House spokesman Tony Snow recently underwent surgery for cancer that had spread to his liver.

Cancer has touched past and present presidential candidates. John McCain carries scars after three episodes of melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer. His 2008 Republican rival, Rudy Giuliani, had prostate cancer, which also afflicted 2004 Democratic nominee John Kerry and 1996 Republican nominee Bob Dole.

In 1992, Democratic primary candidate Paul Tsongas was the first presidential candidate to run as a cancer survivor, having undergone a radical bone-marrow transplant six years earlier after lymphoma forced an end to his Senate career. Tsongas later died from a complication related to the treatment for the disease's recurrence.

"I have friends in politics, some in Congress, some running for president, and others who have successfully dealt with cancer," Thompson told interviewer Cavuto, who has battled Hodgkin's disease in the past and has multiple sclerosis. "It is certainly no respecter of persons and totally nonpartisan."

[colonieny]

He is a tough honest man, and a Reagan like Republican. If Reagan could serve with a colon cancer and at an advanced age, I would vote for Sen T. and trust. At this time, he seems to be the best man for the job.

[terrapin78]

I don't think anyone running for President would get elected with a cancer known to be inside them.

It's a health issue. We want who we elect to be there for the entire term. With cancer, there is less of a chance of this outcome.

[sero5]

Glad to hear his cancer is in remission. Hope Thompson decides to run. He is a no nonsense sort of guy unlike the Clintons, Bush, and Pelosi.

[puzzler125]

I'm a liberal and I'm not mean, angry or unhappy! Actually I do get angry when I see mean posts here.

[witwct]

I hope Katie learned her lesson last time based on comments I saw, but then the Edwards sure got a lot of sympathy and good will out of that interchange! makes one wonder!!

[fairandbal]

The burning question that comes to mind when reading this will be if Catie will ask Fred if he's using his cancer diagnosis for political gain! Somehow i don't think she'll be asking that question of a GOP candidate.

[witwct]

very funny, if they had cut any more of my right hip off I might have needed the suspenders!!! it was a lump I had been living with for about a year. my primary care doctor told me it was a fatty tumor (more joke fodder) which doesn't need any treatment, a very common condition but what mcc is usually wrongly diagnosed as. so be careful with those innoculous lumps!!!!

[hawksprings]

Is Merkel Cell related to Urkel Cell?
Do you find yourself wanting to wear big ugly glasses and suspenders?

[witwct]

correction, this article states that melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer. I thought so too until I got Merkel Cell Carcinoma. It is more deadly than Melanoma. Fortunately for the general population, it is a lot rarer. That's unfortunate for me since there is much less research on Merkel Cell Carcinoma.

[hawksprings]

But we're happy :)

[hawksprings]

Liberals have ALWAYS been mean, angry, and unhappy.

[randalds]

Liberals are mean and unhappy, and angry.
Posted by hawksprings at 04:03 PM : Apr 11, 2007

Actually as this corrupt administration slowly (not quickly enough) self destructs I find myself becoming happier by the day. And the only people I'm still mean to or angry with are those idiots who still support these as*sholes in the White House.

[coffeehead-2009]

Angry?

Y E S


Bush Joke Video: DC Humor in Bad Taste
http://www.musicforamerica.org/bushjoke

[coffeehead-2009]

Lmao --
what a difference 2 years can make when truth hits the fan. Only a smidgen of weak minded "rats rats rats wmd wmd wmd" left that havent been deprogrammed.

Mean ????
F-U kinda place this administration has created.
Losing your house? - f/u it's business.
On the street? - f/u it's your own fault
Elderly dying - f/u they shouldn't expect anything.
Poverty - F/u - live with it, it's a changing world

I have decided to think fairly -
no compassion, that is what this administration has shown me.
hypocrasy - I will fly with the "god god god" phrase whenever it is "convenient" and I will beat the bible whenever it serves my purpose. Then I will screw my neighbors, call hurricane victims scum and steal every penny grandma millie has and expect no justice.
THAT is the agenda - it's me/mine and I....
Republicans (and that is just for the folks who "label" themselves in a PLASTIC bag - because most of america is not STILL that weak willed)

[hawksprings]

Liberals are mean and unhappy, and angry.

[hawksprings]

Liberals are mean and unhappy.

[coffeehead-2009]

Wilma lewis has cancer - millions of americans have cancer. So we know that the corrupt and elitist are human too.

Anything new here? Maybe now we will get some passage of stem cell research, seeing as someone of HIS caliber is exposed.

No harshness - just FACT. I see no need to stress over PUBLIC figures as most of us already experienced the misery of illness, I am happy that he has has the money and connections to get the best, most reliable and least economically devastating help that his "position" can buy for him.

[jsilver2th]

I think this spells: J E B f o r V I C E P R E S I D E N T

[randalds]

No Sweat my Liberal friends Rudy had cancer too any of you smell blood yet? OOps cant go after Rudy unless you go after Edwards?

What a Dilemma...lol
Posted by didntinhale at 02:42 PM : Apr 11, 2007

The water is already strong with the scent of blood from all of the Bush administrations self-inflicted wounds and Rudy is shooting himself in the foot in front of the religious nuts in the republican party well enough on his own. Why should we happy liberals waste time and energy taking pot shots at republicans when they do such a great job scre*wing up on their own?

[barbaraf4]

Last night we were watching "The Final Report" and there was a much younger Fred Thompson during the Watergate Hearings. Although I don't see him any more or any less qualified for POTUS, nevertheless, he has had a long, distinguished career in politics and his acting career has been equally successful.

Fred, God Bless you and good luck with your treatments.