Sen. Kennedy Up and Walking After Brain Tumor Surgery

Still faces radiation, chemotherapy treatments for what doctors say is a life-threatening malignant glioma

By Steve Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

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TUESDAY, June 3 (HealthDay News) -- Sen. Edward M. Kennedy enjoyed "a restful night's sleep" and was walking the hallways of Duke University Medical Center on Tuesday, one day after undergoing what his doctors called a "successful" three-and-a-half-hour surgery to treat his malignant brain tumor.

The 76-year-old Kennedy was "recuperating well from yesterday's procedure," his office said in a statement released to the Associated Press. "He is experiencing no complications and has been walking the hallways, spending time with family and actively keeping up with the news of the day."

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"He looks forward to returning home to Cape Cod soon, and is thankful for all the prayers and well wishes," the statement said.

No further updates on Kennedy's condition were expected until he leaves the Durham, N.C., hospital, according to the statement. He is expected to remain at the hospital for about a week before heading to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston for radiation and chemotherapy treatments.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Allan Friedman, neurosurgeon-in-chief at Duke and one of the nation's leading neurosurgeons. "I am pleased to report that Senator Kennedy's surgery was successful and accomplished our goals," Friedman said in a statement released Monday, the Boston Globe reported.

Friedman said Kennedy had been awake during the operation and "should therefore experience no permanent neurological effects from the surgery," the newspaper said.

Asked by his wife, Vicki, how he felt after the surgery, Kennedy said, "I feel like a million bucks. I think I'll do that again tomorrow," the senator's office said, the Globe reported.

Kennedy underwent surgery for a malignant glioma, an especially lethal type of brain tumor. The surgery was considered the most aggressive approach that Kennedy could select to treat his tumor. The decision to opt for surgery was considered something of a surprise, the Globe reported, because Kennedy's doctors did not mention surgery as an option after the tumor diagnosis was announced two weeks ago. Instead, Kennedy's doctors said the focus of treatment would be radiation and chemotherapy.

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