Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas said Monday that he “successfully” underwent surgery to remove tumors discovered last summer that had formed in the lining of his gastrointestinal tract.
Castro, 48, said in a statement that he planned to remain at home recovering for “several weeks” before returning to Washington.
“My prognosis is good,” Castro said after surgery at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston to remove gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors.
Castro, whose congressional district includes San Antonio, said that the surgery came after doctors discovered the “small, slow-growing, and mostly asymptomatic tumors” in a series of tests over the summer.
According to the National Cancer Institute, the rare and slow-growing tumors typically form in the small intestine, rectum and appendix.
The six-term lawmaker is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Intelligence Committee.
Castro is one of several lawmakers who have been sidelined in recent weeks for medical reasons.
Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., underwent surgery this month for prostate cancer; he tweeted Monday evening that he was “happy to be back in Washington.”
Earlier this month, fellow Pennsylvania Democrat Sen. John Fetterman checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for clinical depression. He remains hospitalized.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
