Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Undergoes Surgery for Lung Cancer
The Supreme Court issued a statement announcing that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg underwent surgery today (December 21) for lung cancer in New York City.
Just last month, Ginsburg was briefly hospitalized for broken ribs suffered during a fall. According to the Supreme Court’s statement, the nodules were discovered. “Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg underwent a pulmonary lobectomy today at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. Two nodules in the lower lobe of her left lung were discovered incidentally during tests performed at George Washington University Hospital to diagnose and treat rib fractures sustained in a fall on November 7,” it reads.
The good news is that doctors believe that they were able to remove all of the cancer and that it has not spread. “According to the thoracic surgeon, Valerie W. Rusch, MD, FACS, both nodules removed during surgery were found to be malignant on initial pathology evaluation,” the statement continues. “Post-surgery, there was no evidence of any remaining disease. Scans performed before surgery indicated no evidence of disease elsewhere in the body. Currently, no further treatment is planned. Justice Ginsburg is resting comfortably and is expected to remain in the hospital for a few days. Updates will be provided as they become available.”
This is not the first time Ginsburg has battled cancer. In 1999, she had surgery for colorectal cancer and then in 2009 she was treated for the early stages of pancreatic cancer. “I said I will do this job as long as I can do it full steam,” Ginsburg said on Sunday (December 16) at a screening of On the Basis of Sex, the movie based on her early work as a lawyer.
Social media users were quick to send their support and wishes of a speedy recovery to the woman affectionately called the Notorious RBG.
https://twitter.com/HeatherSetzler/status/1076175477176451073
This story will be updated with new information as it is available.