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Doctors say Cardinal George appears cancer free
Updated: December 12, 2012 9:40AM
Cardinal Francis George said he appears to be cancer free after starting chemotherapy in September when doctors found cancer cells on his liver and kidney, according to a published report.
“They were quite surprised. It looked good,” George said, adding he expected to finish treatment in January.
“But then they always say there are always things we can’t see,” he said. “But otherwise, they were very encouraged that they couldn’t find any evidence of cancer where they found it before.”
George, 75, is head and spiritual leader of the Archdiocese of Chicago, which serves more than 2 million Roman Catholics.
This has been his second bout with cancer. Six years ago, surgeons removed his bladder, prostate and part of his right ureter following the discovery that he had bladder cancer.
A weakened immune system due to treatments will mean George will miss two Christmas traditions this year. George won’t celebrate Mass at Cook County Jail or visit patients at Lurie Children’s Hospital. George said he will celebrate midnight Mass at downtown Chicago’s Holy Name Cathedral and then stay home with family.
George said he has had extreme exhaustion and used steroids to help gain more strength. He said he has avoided many of chemotherapy’s side effects.
“I have some bad days, but most days are pretty good,” he said.
