Supreme Court’s Ginsburg says she’s being treated for liver cancer, but still working ‘full steam’
Published Fri, Jul 17 202012:08 PM EDT Updated 11 Min Ago

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said in a statement on Friday that she is being treated for liver cancer but that she remains able to work “full steam.”

The 87-year-old said that she began a course of chemotherapy in May to treat a recurrence of cancer after a February scan revealed lesions on her liver.

“Immunotherapy first essayed proved unsuccessful. The chemotherapy course, however, is yielding positive results. Satisfied that my treatment course is now clear, I am providing this information,” Ginsburg said in the statement.

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said in a statement on Friday that she is being treated for liver cancer but that she remains able to work “full steam.”

The 87-year-old said that she began a course of chemotherapy in May to treat a recurrence of cancer after a February scan revealed lesions on her liver.

“Immunotherapy first essayed proved unsuccessful. The chemotherapy course, however, is yielding positive results. Satisfied that my treatment course is now clear, I am providing this information,” Ginsburg said in the statement.

Ginsburg, a liberal, is the court’s eldest justice. Her health has become the subject of public concern because a vacancy on the nine-judge panel could allow President Donald Trump to nominate a conservative replacement. The court currently has a 5-4 majority of Republican-appointed justices.

Ginsburg said her most recent scan was conducted on July 7 and showed “significant reduction of the liver lesions and no new disease.”

“I am tolerating chemotherapy well and am encouraged by the success of my current treatment. I will continue bi-weekly chemotherapy to keep my cancer at bay, and am able to maintain an active daily routine,” Ginsburg said.

She added: “Throughout, I have kept up with opinion writing and all other Court work. I have often said I would remain a member of the Court as long as I can do the job full steam. I remain fully able to do that.”

Ginsburg has wrestled with a slew of health problems, including multiple cancer scares in recent years. On Wednesday, she was discharged from Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore after being admitted the day before with a possible infection. A court spokesperson said Wednesday that she was “home and doing well.”

In May, Ginsburg called into the court’s arguments over Trump rules expanding exemptions to the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate from the hospital after being treated for a benign gallbladder condition. The arguments were held over the phone as a precaution against the spread of Covid-19.

Ginsburg said those hospitalizations were “unrelated” to the recent cancer recurrence.

The court will next hear arguments in October.

Ginsburg’s full statement is below.

“On May 19, I began a course of chemotherapy (gemcitabine) to treat a recurrence of cancer. A periodic scan in February followed by a biopsy revealed lesions on my liver. My recent hospitalizations to remove gall stones and treat an infection were unrelated to this recurrence.

Immunotherapy first essayed proved unsuccessful. The chemotherapy course, however, is yielding positive results. Satisfied that my treatment course is now clear, I am providing this information.

My most recent scan on July 7 indicated significant reduction of the liver lesions and no new disease. I am tolerating chemotherapy well and am encouraged by the success of my current treatment. I will continue bi-weekly chemotherapy to keep my cancer at bay, and am able to maintain an active daily routine. Throughout, I have kept up with opinion writing and all other Court work.

I have often said I would remain a member of the Court as long as I can do the job full steam. I remain fully able to do that.”

Correction: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s name.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/17/supreme-...full-steam.html


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