By Gene Cherry
DURHAM, North Carolina (Reuters) - U.S. Sen. EdwardKennedy, a Democratic icon and a leading backer of presidentialcontender Barack Obama, had successful surgery on Monday toremove a malignant brain tumour and should suffer "no permanentneurological effects," his surgeon said.
"I am pleased to report that Senator Kennedy's surgery wassuccessful and accomplished our goals," Dr. Allan Friedman saidin a statement after a 3 1/2-hour operation at DukeUniversity's Medical Centre in Durham, North Carolina.
After the surgery, Kennedy told his wife, Vicki, "I feellike a million bucks," an aide to the senator said.
Friedman, Duke's chief of neurosurgery, did not specify howmuch of the cancerous tumour he was able to remove. He calledthe operation "the first step" in a treatment plan for the76-year-old senator from Massachusetts, head of America's mostfabled political family.
"After a brief recuperation, he will begin targetedradiation at Massachusetts General Hospital and chemotherapytreatment," Friedman said.
Dr. Mark Gilbert of the University of Texas' cancer Centre,speaking at a news conference at a meeting of the AmericanSociety of Clinical Oncology in Chicago, said: "If all you dois surgery, even if you do a beautiful job, the tumour will beback in one or two months" without other treatments.
Kennedy was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour calleda glioma, a type of tumour that usually kills within threeyears, after suffering a seizure on May 17.
Massachusetts General said Kennedy's tumour was in the leftparietal lobe of the brain. Several doctors agreed that surgeryin this region could affect a patient's ability to speak andunderstand language, and perhaps could paralyze the patient'sright side as well.
But Friedman said, "Senator Kennedy was awake during theresection (tumour removal) and should therefore experience nopermanent neurological effects from the surgery."
CONFIDENT OF RETURN TO SENATE
There was no immediate word on when Kennedy would be ableto return to work in the Senate where he has served since 1962when he took the seat vacated by his older brother, PresidentJohn F. Kennedy.
In a statement issued shortly before his surgery, Kennedyexpressed confidence he would soon be back.
"After completing treatment, I look forward to returning tothe United States Senate and to doing everything I can to helpelect Barack Obama as our next president," he said.
Obama, a first-term U.S. senator from Illinois, has beenlikened to one of Kennedy's older brothers, Robert, who wasassassinated during the 1968 Democratic presidential campaign.President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 in his third year inoffice.
Sen. Kennedy has been one of the most respected as well aspolarizing figures in U.S. politics. He has long been a heroamong fellow liberals while scorned by many conservatives.
Yet news of his condition shook Washington last month andprompted colleagues on both sides of the political aisle tooffer prayers and words of praise.
"I am deeply grateful to the people of Massachusetts and tomy friends, colleagues and so many others across the countryand around the world who have expressed their support and goodwishes as I tackle this new and unexpected health challenge,"Kennedy said in his statement.
Sen. Chris Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat, said, "I know Tedis a fighter and he'll be back on the Senate floor soonfighting for the American people."
Until then, Dodd said, Kennedy asked him to take the leadon some of his pending legislation, including a bill to upgradeinsurance coverage of mental illnesses.
"I'm honoured to help shepherd this legislation throughuntil he returns," said Dodd, who serves on the Health,Education, Labour and Pensions Committee chaired by Kennedy.
(Additional reporting by Vicki Allen, Maggie Fox andRichard Cowan in Washington; Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago)
(Writing by Thomas Ferraro, editing by Chris Wilson)
