Fred Thompson Has Cancer

Possible GOP Presidential Candidate Says Lymphoma Has Not Slowed Him Down

(AP)  Lymphoma is an immune-system cancer that strikes more than 71,000 Americans a year, and kills more than 19,000 of them. The vast majority have the non-Hodgkin's form of lymphoma, a term that encompasses more than 30 different subtypes of the disease.

Some of these subtypes are termed "indolent," meaning they typically respond well to treatment — patients often go into remission for long periods, but the disease is not cured and may need to be battled back again periodically.

Survival varies widely, depending on the subtype of lymphoma. But overall, five-year survival for the non-Hodgkin's group of lymphomas is 63 percent, according to the American Cancer Society.

Thompson's doctor said he has a subtype known as "marginal zone lymphoma" and was treated with a drug called Rituxan, a monoclonal antibody which zeros in on cancer cells to specifically target them. But Cheson confirmed that Thompson is in remission with no signs of the cancer detectable by medical tests.

The former senator is an actor who has played many roles, including president of the United States, director of the CIA, an admiral and currently, district attorney Arthur Branch on NBC's long-running drama "Law & Order."

Thompson has said he would consider running for president in 2008, depending on how the rest of the Republican field shakes out.

"I'm just going to wait and see what happens," Thompson told Fox last month. "I wanted to see how my colleagues who are on the campaign trail do now, what they say, what they emphasize, what they're addressing, and how successful they are in doing that, and whether or not they can carry the ball in next November."

Thompson's rise to prominence began three decades ago, when he served as minority counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee. He famously asked one the key questions of the proceedings: "Mr. Butterfield, are you aware of the installation of any listening devices in the Oval Office of the President?"

That led to the disclosure of the Watergate tapes.

Starting in the late 1980s, Thompson got roles in numerous movies, including "No Way Out," "The Hunt for Red October," "Cape Fear and "In the Line of Fire."

Thompson was elected to the Senate in 1994 to fill the seat of Al Gore, who had been elected vice president. He won re-election to the Senate easily in 1996, but his daughter died of a heart attack during that term and he announced a couple months later that he wouldn't seek re-election.

[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.