Gov. Brown's office describes his condition as "localized prostate cancer." UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, which is not treating the governor, says that means the cancer is not spreading. This is Brown's second bout with cancer. He received treatment for skin cancer on his nose in April of 2011. Shortly after that, he walked around the Capitol with wearing a bandage after having the growth surgically removed.
For this prostate cancer, the 74-year-old is being treated at UC San Francisco. Oncologist Dr. Eric Small says that fortunately, the cancer is in its early stages. It's being treated with a short course of conventional radio therapy and the treatment will continue through the week of January 7. The doctor also said the prognosis is excellent there no significant side effects are expected.
The governor's staff indicated he will work a full schedule during the treatment which cancer experts say is what he should do. "74-years-old, the average life expectancy is about 11 years. Now, our governor isn't average so he's looking, I'm sure, at much more than that," said Dr. Ralph DeVere at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. "And that is why he had his prostate cancer treated."
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men. More than 241,000 new cases are expected to be diagnosed in the United States in 2012.
