New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has a likely cancerous tumor on his left kidney that will be surgically removed in early March, he announced on Feb. 23.
“Friends—Ive got a tumor on my left kidney and will undergo a partial nephrectomy in early March to remove it,” Murphy, a Democrat, wrote on Twitter on Saturday evening, adding that “the prognosis is very good and Im profoundly grateful to my doctors for detecting the tumor early.”
“Over 50,000 New Jerseyans will hear the words you have cancer this year, so Im far from alone here. Its a situation that far too many families find themselves in. Thats why were fighting for them each and every day,” he said.
Murphy, 62, who last year signed legislation to establish a state-based health exchange, added that “health care is a right, not a privilege for a select few, and skyrocketing medical costs are a national emergency.”
“If theres anything my diagnosis reminds me of, its that preventative services are lifesaving and we need to continue fighting for affordable health care for all,” he said.
The governors communications director, Mahen Gunaratna, said that Murphys doctor had discovered a 3-centimeter-wide tumor on his left kidney during a recent checkup but noted that the doctor believes it is “fully treatable since the tumor was discovered early.”
He will undergo a partial nephrectomy, also referred to as a kidney-sparing surgery, in March, where doctors will remove the diseased tissue and save the kidney. The surgery can be performed through a single incision in the abdomen or side (open nephrectomy) or through a series of small incisions in the abdomen using a camera and small instruments (laparoscopic nephrectomy), according to the Mayo Clinic.
Gunaratna added that Murphys family is “profoundly grateful to the medical professionals who detected this tumor early and sends thanks to everyone for their good wishes.”
The Epoch Times
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