Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, who had a cancerous tumor removed from his pelvic region last June, has started a third round of chemotherapy today, this time in a military hospital in Venezuela. All previous treatments, including the removal of the tumor, were performed in Cuba. Chavez says that his current chemotherapy is aimed at preventing a recurrence of the disease.
From the hospital, Chavez appeared on TV and said:
“I’m coming in the best shape. I’ll come out of here strengthened. The conditions are in place to do this third cycle here (in Venezuela). I’m determined to continue living. It’s not time to die. What we have to do still is a great deal.”
Although Chavez says he has been open about the details on his cancer, he has never specified in public what type of cancer it is, exactly where it was located, and how advanced the disease was when he was diagnosed earlier on this year. He has just said that a tumor the size of a baseball was removed from his pelvic area last June.
Cancer in the pelvic region could be cancer of the penis, testicle, rectum, colon, or prostate. The pelvis is the lower part of the abdomen, between the hip bones.
When Chavez had visited his friend, ex-Cuban leader Fidel Castro earlier this year, Castro suggested he had a check up when he had told him he was not feeling well. The tests revealed he had cancer.
With general elections in Venezuela next year, many wonder whether he will be well enough to stand. According to Chavez, he will stand and aims to win.
The media in Venezuela have speculated that if he had been already feeling unwell when he was diagnosed, the cancer could not have been in its early stages. For example, in the case of prostate cancer, it needs to progress for several years before the patient starts to experience symptoms.
Written by Christian Nordqvist