TED KENNEDY WITH INOPERABLE CANCER?

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Ted Kennedy has been diagnosed with a malignant glioma, a cancerous tumor in the brain, and some medical experts believe he may have no more than a year to live.

Kennedy’s doctors said he will remain in the hospital for the next couple of days as they consider chemotherapy and radiation. They did not mention surgery, a possible indication the tumor is inoperable.

Outside experts gave him no more than three years — and perhaps far less.

“As a general rule, at 76, without the ability to do a surgical resection, as kind of a ballpark figure you’re probably looking at a survival of less than a year,” said Dr. Keith Black, chairman of neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles …

Malignant gliomas are diagnosed in about 9,000 Americans a year. In general, half of all patients die within a year.

“It’s treatable but not curable. You can put it into remission for a while but it’s not a curable tumor,” said Dr. Suriya Jeyapalan, a neuroncologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

Those who read us regularly here may observe the usual bevy of references to Sen. Kennedy aren’t in this post. Jokes and quips aren’t appropriate here or in any similar circumstances.

I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy, let alone a politician with whom I simply disagree. Not Bill Clinton. Not Jim Doyle. Not anyone.

Considering my father has had two different forms of cancer and is fortunate to be a cancer survivor, I have personal experience with cancer. I sat through two presentations the other day concerning the upcoming Relay for Life in which the audience was asked to raise hands if they knew someone with cancer. I couldn’t but instead had to leave the room because of the emotional reaction it stirred.

Ted Kennedy may be a politician with whom I disagree with on most if not all issues. He’s also someone’s father, brother, uncle, son, husband, loved one.

He and his loved ones deserve to remembers in our thoughts and prayers as they go through this difficult ordeal.

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