New York Mayor Giuliani diagnosed with prostate cancer

By Michael Ferullo/CNN

April 27, 2000
Web posted at: 6:15 p.m. EDT (2215 GMT)

NEW YORK (CNN) -- New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani revealed Thursday that he has been diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer and will decide on a course of treatment before making any decision on his expected Senate run against first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.

New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani announced Thursday that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

"It is a treatable form of prostate cancer; it was diagnosed at an early stage," Giuliani told reporters at a hastily assembled Gracie Mansion press conference Thursday morning. "(The diagnosis) came about as a result of taking a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test about two weeks ago," said Giuliani, 55.

The New York mayor was spotted by a reporter as he entered the Guggenheim Pavilion of Mount Sinai Medical Center on Wednesday morning. He left some three hours later.

	PROSTATE CANCER:
description risk symptoms treatment prevention Choose a link above to learn more about prostate cancer. Source: WebMD

Prostate cancer develops within cells of the prostate, a walnut-sized gland found in men just below the bladder. Most prostate cancers grow very slowly, but some can spread quickly to other parts of the body.

"Over the next week ... maybe three weeks, I'll figure out with my doctors and other doctors what the best and optimum form of treatment will be," Giuliani said. "Obviously the bad news is that there is cancer, but the good news is that there are lots of possible options."

Giuliani mentioned some of the possible treatment options -- which included radiation, surgery to remove the cancer, hormone treatments, or chemotherapy -- and said his doctors planned to "evaluate all those different options and put them all together."

"Some forms of treatment would require taking some time off," Giuliani told reporters, although he said he didn't expect it to take "months and months."

The second-term mayor cited his father's death from prostate cancer as the main reason the PSA test was included as part of his annual physical. He added that his father was much older, 73, when he was diagnosed with a later stage of the disease.

"It brings up very painful memories. I miss my father every day of my life and he's a very important reason why I'm standing here as the mayor of New York City.

Giuliani: Senate run takes back seat to treatment

Asked how the diagnosis and treatment would affect his run for the U.S. Senate against Mrs. Clinton, he replied, "I have no idea. ... I hope that I'd be able to run, but the choice that I'm going to make is going to be based on the treatment that's going to give me the best chance to have a complete cure."

After another inquiry about the impact of his diagnosis on the Senate race, Giuliani replied: "I don't think it's fair to answer questions about the Senate race right now. My focus has to be how to figure out the best form of treatment."

Giuliani said he plans to talk about treatment options with New York Yankees manager Joe Torre and other prostate cancer survivors.

The mayor smiled frequently and joked with reporters during the 15-minute press conference. When asked whether he would be nicer to members of the press, he grinned and replied, "No way."

Clinton, others wish mayor speedy recovery

Campaigning in upstate New York on Thursday, the first lady responded to news of the diagnosis by wishing Giuliani "a full and speedy recovery."

"Like all New Yorkers, my prayers and best wishes are with the mayor for a full and speedy recovery, and I hope that everyone joins me in wishing him well," Mrs. Clinton said in a statement.

First lady Hillary Rodham Clinton wished Giuliani "a full and speedy recovery" Thursday.

Earlier in the day, the White House released a similar statement in which both President Bill Clinton and the first lady said their "thoughts and prayers are with the mayor and his family."

Giuliani received a call from Republican presidential hopeful George W. Bush, who told reporters that he wanted "to wish him all the best and tell him that my family's prayers are with him."

Bush said that Giuliani gave no indication during their brief conversation that he would alter previous plans for his Senate candidacy. "He looks forward to becoming a United States senator from the state of New York," the Texas governor said.

One of Giuliani's harshest city critics, civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton, said Thursday he regrets that the mayor has prostate cancer, and hopes he gets the appropriate treatment.

Sharpton said that while he certainly has political differences with the mayor, he "wishes him no ill will or ill health."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.