Politics

Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin Reveals ‘Serious But Curable’ Cancer Diagnosis

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Michael Ginsberg Congressional Correspondent
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Democratic Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin has been diagnosed with cancer, he announced Wednesday.

Doctors determined “after several days of tests” that Raskin has Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma. The congressman described the cancer as “serious but curable” in a statement, adding that “prognosis for most people in my situation is excellent after four months of treatment.”

“I expect to be able to work through this period but have been cautioned by my doctors to reduce unnecessary exposure to avoid COVID-19, the flu and other viruses. In addition to destroying cancer cells, chemotherapy impairs natural antibodies and undermines the body’s immune system. I am advised that it also causes hair loss and weight gain (although I am still holding out hope for the kind that causes hair gain and weight loss),” he said.

Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymph nodes that is most commonly diagnosed in middle-aged and older men, according to WebMD. More than 18,000 people are diagnosed with the disease each year, and 75% of patients are disease-free after treatment. (RELATED: Congressman Donald McEachin Dead At 61)

Entering his fourth term in the House, Raskin will serve as the ranking member of House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in the 118th Congress. He previously suffered from stage 3 colon cancer, undergoing chemotherapy in 2010.