Giuliani Battles Prostate Cancer

The startling news about New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani came from Hizzoner himself.

"I was diagnosed yesterday with prostate cancer. It's a treatable form of prostate cancer," said Giuliani on Thursday at City Hall.

Asked about New York's high-profile U.S. Senate race against Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton, the 55-year-old mayor said it was unclear at this stage how his condition could affect his campaigning.

Giuliani said some upcoming events might have to be rescheduled, but added he "didn't think it was fair" to talk in detail about the Senate race until more medical information is available.

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A Giuliani campaign spokeswoman, Juleanna Glover Weiss, said the mayor will make his scheduled campaign trips in the coming week.

Republican Giuliani is seeking the Senate seat being vacated by Daniel Patrick Moynihan in a closely watched race that will pit him against the first lady. The race is widely regarded as a toss-up, and has been marked by rancor between its two combatants.

CBS News Political Director Dotty Lynch called the announcement "quite a big bombshell that could have a serious impact" on the Giuliani Senate bid. Lynch added the mayor will have "to prove he's healthy and vigorous and will be able to serve out a six-year term."

On Thursday, the mayor, whose father died of prostate cancer in 1981, spoke only in general terms about possible remedies for his condition.

"The options are radiation, hormones...or an operation," the mayor said, adding that he had lengthy conversations with his doctors this week.

Mrs. Clinton, campaigning in upstate New York on Thursday, said, "Like all New Yorkers, my prayers and best wishes are with the mayor for a full and speedy recovery and I hope everyone joins me in wishing him well as he undergoes the treatment that is required."

"He's lucky it was detected...It should not affect his campaigning and it should not be a consideration for voters," Koch told CBS Radio News.

"I hope he announces that in no way it will affect his running for office, that he intends to continue," added Koch, a Democrat supporting Mrs. Clinton in the Senate race.

Rep. Rick Lazio, a Long Island GOP Congressman who had considered challenging Giuliani for the Republican nomination for the Senate, also issued a statement of support.

"My thoughts and prayers are with Mayor Giuliani, his wife and his family at this difficult time. This needs to be a private time for the Giuliani family. Issues that cut to the core of a person's heath and life transcend election campaign and politics."

Lazio declined to say whether he would enter the race if Giuliani dropped out.

Voters have not always been kind to politicians who acknowledge medical problems. Bob Dole's 1991 battle with cancer arose in his GOP presidential campaign against Bill Clinton five years later. During this year's Democratic presidential primaries, questions were raised about Bill Bradley's health after he had to see doctors for a heart condition while campaigning.

And in the Empire State, Al D'Amato unseated incumbent U.S. Sen. Jacob Javits from New York in 1980 by convincing voters that Javits - a fellow Republican - was too old and too sick to function effectively.

Giuliani was upbeat despite the news about his health.

"I'm in great shape. I had my normal four hours' sleep yesterday," he joked. Asked whether he would be nicer now, he replied, "No way."

The mayor had a biopsy Wednesday at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Manhattan, where a reporter spotted him. Giuliani told reporters he would have waited longer to break the news, probably a couple of weeks, but for that eventuality.

Prostate cancer can be diagnosed early thanks to a PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood test, and is considered highly curable if caught in a preliminary stage. Giuliani said Thursday that when his father was diagnosed, such treatments were not available.

"It brings up very painful memories, and I miss my father every day of my life," he said.

Giuliani, a diehard Yankees fan, said team owner George Steinbrenner called to offer upport. The mayor said he expected to lean on Yankees manager Joe Torre who recently was treated for prostate cancer for support as well.

"I called Joe Torre, and he's been through this, and I'm sure he'll be a source of a lot of strength and good advice," said Giuliani.

"Everybody who watches TV in New York sees Joe Torre. It was just a year ago that he was diagnosed..." Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac College polling institute, told CBS Radio News.

About three-quarters of men with prostate cancer have elevated levels of the PSA protein. Testing blood for PSA has been a standard screening method for older men since about 1990. Giuliani said he had that test two-and-a-half weeks ago.

Cancer of the prostate, a gland involved in semen production, is the second most common type of cancer in American men, behind skin cancer. A total of 179,300 American men were diagnosed with the disease in 1999.