Ted Kennedy has brain cancer

[Dr Mordrid]

Breaking all over the place that Sen Ted Kennedy has a malignant glioma in his left parietal lobe, a diagnosis that is anything but encouraging. Glioma's are nasty bastards. His is inoperable, so the treatments of choice will be chemotherapy and radiation.

Depending on the size/type of his glioma he could have years to very little time left. Judging from the body language I'm seeing on the news from those close to him, particularly his buddy Sen Chris Dodd, it looks like the latter.

Also not good news for Sen Majority Leader Reid. While he is the titular leader of the Senate it's long been known that he can't do squat without the help of Sen Kennedy.

[Gurm]

At the risk of sounding insensitive... he's had years of "hard livin'". I don't wish this on anyone, but can't say it's surprising.

Of course, my INITIAL reaction was something along the lines of "is it the kind of tumor that makes you apologize for killing Mary Jo?"

[Dr Mordrid]

Can't say I disagree....

[Kruzin]

Surprized his liver made it this long.
More surprized his political career made it this long.

[ALBPM]

With his money, family connections and access to the health care brain trust I'd say he has a better prognosis than did Mary Jo Kopechne (July 26, 1940 – July 18, 1969).

[xortam]

If it's a GBM tumor then it's likely he won't live to see the Presedential elections. We don't know what grade of tumor it is yet.

[Tomasz]

Based on his age and current presentation, he most likely has a glioblastoma (Grade 4/4 astrocytoma). At best, he has an anaplastic astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, or a mixture of the two (Grade 3/4). All of these are very bad...

Here are some survival statistics based on optimal therapy:

http://www.neurooncology.ucla.edu/Performance/GlioblastomaMultiforme.aspx

Strangely, other than exposure of the cranium to ionizing radiation, risk factors and causes of gliomas haven't been worked out yet...

[cjolley]

He had some sort of surgery for circulation in or near his head about 6 months ago.
A doctor I saw on TV said that he would almost certainly have had a cranial scan at that time. Meaning that it wasn't there then and is likely growing rather quickly.
Not a good sign.

One of my best friends in college died of a brain tumor. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

[Dr Mordrid]

Most of the "therapy" for these things is for relief of symptoms.

My wifes uncle-by-marriage was also diagnosed with a parietal glioblastoma after a seizure and he was dead within a month, mainly because it was one of those fast growers.

Nasty SOB's.

[Gurm]

Yup. Latest news is that it's fast-growing, and that it's "make him comfortable" time.

[Evildead666]

My brothers best friend in the UK was diagnosed with one of these last year, and died a couple of weeks ago.
36 years old.

I think that Gurms right.
Make him comfortable time.