Rob has Rare Cancer

The tumour in Rob Ford's abdomen, the discovery of which led the mayor of Toronto to drop out of the election last week, is both malignant and rare, according to medical authorities.

Dr. Zane Cohen of Mount Sinai Hospital's surgical team addressed the media today to provide an update on Ford's medical condition, which, he noted, was done due to great public interest.

He said a repeat biopsy was done Monday on "the mass," meaning the abdominal tumour.

"The diagnosis is a malignant liposarcoma," said Cohen, which is a form of cancer that arises in fat cells in deep soft tissue; it is, Cohen said, a rare and difficult tumour to treat.

"It has about 60 different cell types and that's what makes it a very rare tumour and a very difficult tumour," he said.

"We have not found cancer" in Ford's organs, Cohen noted, later adding that the tumour appears "very aggressive" based on its size after its recent discovery and that it has been growing since well before that, but Cohen added that the treatment plan is also aggressive, involving an initial three days of chemotherapy, a rest day and an 18-day "washout period" before possible subsequent 40-day cycles over the treatment plan, which Cohen said is to begin within the next 48 hours.
The Canadian Press reports :
"Following the chemotherapy and its results, doctors may or may not decide to carry out surgery or radiation treatments."
"Everyone knows chemotherapy is tough ...  he [Ford] is a pretty strong person, but he's going to have some tough days," said Cohen, an internationally recognized colorectal surgeon. He added that Ford will also have some good days, and that "doctors will decide what the next step will be based on how the tumour responds to treatment."
The Ford family, along with everyone following the Toronto mayoral election and the general Ford saga, had been awaiting the results of last week's biopsy.
Having seen the effects of a similar type of cancer, I know this will be a very difficult and traumatic course to follow and there is no predicting how it ends. My partner and I wish Rob a speedy and full recovery.