Sen Ted Kennedy Diagnosed With Brain Tumor

May 20,02008— -- Sen. Edward Kennedy has a malignant brain tumor.

Doctors for the Massachusetts Democrat said Tuesday thatpreliminary biopsy results showed a malignant glioma in the leftparietal-lobe. It was detected after Kennedy, 76, was airlifted toBoston on Saturday after having a seizure at his Cape Cod home.

The usual course of treatment includes combinations of radiationand chemotherapy, but Kennedy's treatment will be decided aftermore tests.

"He has had no further seizures, remains in good overallcondition, and is up and walking around the hospital," said ajoint statement issued by Dr. Lee Schwamm, vice chairman of theDepartment of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Dr.Larry Ronan, Kennedy's primary care physician.

Kennedy's wife and children have been with him each day since hewas hospitalized but have made no public statements.

Malignant gliomas are a type of brain cancer diagnosed in about9,000 Americans a year - and the most common type among adults.It's a starting diagnosis: How well patients fare depends on whatspecific tumor type is determined by further testing.

Average survival can range from less than a year for veryadvanced and aggressive types - such as glioblastomas - or to aboutfive years for different types that are slower growing.

---

AP reporter Lauran Neergaard in Washington contributed to thisreport.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)