US Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy has a malignant brain tumour, doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital say. Mr Kennedy, 76, was flown from Cape Cod to the hospital in Boston at the weekend after suffering a seizure. Doctors says tests reveal a tumour in Mr Kennedy's left parietal lobe. His wife and children have been with him but have not issued a statement. The youngest brother of assassinated President John F Kennedy, he is one of the best-known Democratic politicians. "Preliminary results from a biopsy of the brain identified the cause of the seizure as a malignant glioma in the left parietal lobe," doctors Lee Schwamm and Larry Ronan said in a statement. Mr Kennedy's treatment will be decided after more tests but the usual course includes radiation and chemotherapy, the doctors said. "He has had no further seizures, remains in good overall condition, and is up and walking around the hospital," they added. He is expected to remain in hospital for the next few days. Mr Kennedy is the second longest-serving member of the Senate. He has been an active supporter of Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination for US president. Political dynasty Mr Kennedy was first elected senator for Massachusetts in November 1962 - shortly after turning the requisite 30 years of age - to replace his brother, who had been elected president in 1960.
Since then he has been re-elected seven times. Born into a rich and powerful Irish-American Catholic family, the son of Joseph Kennedy, Edward "Teddy" Kennedy became the head of the clan after the death of his three elder brothers. The eldest, Joseph Jr, was killed while flying a bomber during World War II. John was assassinated while president in 1963, and Robert was shot dead while running for president in 1968. Edward, or Teddy, as he is known, ran against sitting President Jimmy Carter in 1980, but failed, after struggling to put the infamous "Chappaquiddick incident" behind him. He had, in 1969, crashed a car off a bridge, and while he escaped, his young female passenger drowned in the water below. He fled and did not report the incident to police for over eight hours. He later pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident and received a suspended two month sentence. Mr Kennedy is also the father of Congressman Patrick J Kennedy. |
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