Giuliani Begins Radiation Therapy

Mayor Rudolph Giuliani underwent radioactive seed implantation Friday morning to treat his prostate cancer.

Doctors said the hour-long procedure went "perfectly" and the mayor was expected to be released later in the day.

"There were absolutely no complications at all," said Dr. Richard Stock at a news conference at Mount Sinai hospital.

Giuliani, 56, announced in April that he had prostate cancer and cited his health a few weeks later when he dropped his bid for the U.S. Senate seat sought by Hillary Rodham Clinton.

He has been taking hormones to limit the growth of cancerous cells by controlling the production of male sex hormones, including testosterone. He chose radiation therapy over surgery to remove the prostate.

Used mainly in the early stages of the disease, radiation can be either delivered externally or implanted in seeds.

Guided by ultrasound imaging, doctors use long, hollow needles to insert the seeds which are about the size of grains of rice into the prostate. The American Cancer Society says five-year survival rates following the therapy exceed 90 percent.

Radiation patients are less likely than surgery patients to experience impotence or incontinence, though their bowels may be affected.

Doctors said Giuliani will have external radiation treatment, five times a week for five weeks, beginning in two months. He will continue taking hormones for three more months.

"His prognosis is excellent," said Dr. Alexander Kirschenbaum, the mayor's urological oncologist, who assisted with the seed implantation. "I expect him to be cured. He's doing great, he's alert ... he's resting."

Stock said most patients are able to resume work immediately after undergoing seed implantation. Kirschenbaum said Giuliani was unlikely to cut back on his mayoral duties.

"We can recommend to him, but I'm pretty sure he won't listen to us," the doctor said. "I'm sure he'll be back working 18 hours a day."