Disgraced Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has 'rare and difficult cancer'

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford requires aggressive chemotherapy as confirmed by his doctor.

17:32 18 September 2014

Disgraced Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has a malignant sarcoma and requires 'aggressive' chemotherapy, as confirmed by Dr Zane Cohen, a colorectal surgeon at Mount Sinai Hospital. 

 

The controversial mayor was seeking another term amid drug and alcohol scandals and a stint in rehab. He withdrew his re-election bid last week. He will undergo intensive chemotherapy within the next two days after it was discovered that his cancer is spreading. 

 

"He's having some pain still," Dr Cohen said. "We are managing that."

 

Dr Cohen told a news conference: "The diagnosis is a malignant liposarcoma. A few things I would like to say about that tumour: it comprises about 1% only of all cancers.

 

"It arises from soft tissue structures, so it's not within an organ. It's not in the colon. It's not in the liver. It's in the tissues, such as fatty tissue, blood vessels, nerves, connective tissue, muscle.

 

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

 

He added: "The plan will be, initially, chemotherapy.

 

"Pending on the response, will depend on what we do next. It may require further cycles of chemotherapy.

 

"There may, or may not be radiation involved. There may, or may not be, surgery involved.

 

"It will all depend on the response to initial treatment and subsequent treatment as well."