Olmert, waiting around
Photo: Reuters
Surgery to remove cancerous tumor on PM's prostate postponed
A month and a half after announcing that a malignant tumor was found on his prostate, the operation to remove it has been postponed. Sources close to the PM say his doctors told him there was no need to immediately undergo surgery
An operation to remove a cancerous growth from Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's prostate has been postponed, according to a report Tuesday evening from Channel 2 News. Sources close to Olmert announced that "the operation was not canceled, only postponed for the time being."
It Seemed Pressing
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"This is a microscopic tumor that has not metastasized and can be removed in a short treatment," Olmert said. According to the medical diagnosis, there will be no need for chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Olmert told the assembled crowd that he would have to have his prostate surgically removed, most likely in the wake of the Annapolis Conference. "I will be able to function fully both before and after the treatment," he explained.
A source close to the PM told Ynet Tuesday evening that "we initially believed that the operation would be a few weeks after Annapolis. A few weeks have gone by, and a date for the operation has still not been set. It won't be in January, because of the full schedule.
"The prime minister consulted several specialists who told him, 'the tumor is small, you can take your time so longer as you remain under supervision. You don't have to (have the operation) immediately.'
"The situation has not gotten worse, its static, and in the meantime a date for the surgery has not yet been set. The prime minister will decide when he will undergo the operation."
When Olmert does have the operation, he will be hospitalized for three days, after which his work performance will be somewhat limited for three to four weeks.
