Sen. Kennedy diagnosed with malignant brain tumor

By Globe Staff

Senator Edward Kennedy, the long-serving liberal icon from Massachusetts who was hospitalized this weekend after suffering a seizure, has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, his doctors revealed today.

"Preliminary results from a biopsy of the brain identified the cause of the seizure as a malignant glioma in the left parietal lobe,'' Dr. Lee Schwamm, vice chairman of the neurology department at Massachusetts General Hospital and Dr. Larry Ronan, Kennedy's doctor, said this afternoon in a statement.

The statement said the usual course of treatment includes combinations of various forms of radiation and chemotherapy.

The doctors said decisions regarding the best course of treatment for Senator Kennedy will be determined after further testing and analysis.

"He has had no further seizures, remains in good overall condition, and is up and walking around the hospital. ... Senator Kennedy will remain at Massachusetts General Hospital for the next couple of days according to routine protocol. He remains in good spirits and full of energy," the statement said.

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

Malignant gliomas are a type of brain cancer diagnosed in about 9,000 Americans a year -- and the most common type among adults. It's a startling diagnosis: How well patients fare depends on what specific tumor type is found.

“This is very sad news,” said Dr. Joseph Madsen, a Children’s Hospital Boston neurosurgeon.

“High-grade glio-malignancies” such as Sen. Kennedy has “are unfortunately the most common kind of brain tumor in this age group, and they have a poor prognosis for long-term survival.”

They can also be very debilitating during treatment, Madsen said, and Kennedy’s tumor is in an area where it may well eventually affect his speech.

Average survival can range from less than a year for very advanced and aggressive types -- such as glioblastomas -- to about five years for different types that are slower-growing.

Material from The Associated Press was included in this report.