Chief Justice Has Thyroid Cancer

October 25, 2004 — William H. Rehnquist, Chief
Justice of the US Supreme Court, has thyroid cancer. He has had an operation on his trachea or windpipe in
the course of treatment, the Supreme Court announced today.

Justice Rehnquist was admitted to Bethesda Naval Hospital three days ago,
underwent the surgery two days ago and was expected to be released from the
hospital this week. The chief justice expects to be on the bench when the
tribunal reconvenes next week.

Thyroid Cancer

The most common symptom of thyroid cancer is a lump, or nodule, that can be
felt in the neck. The only certain way to tell whether a thyroid lump is cancer
is by examining the thyroid tissue obtained using a needle or surgery for
biopsy. Surgery is the most common form of treatment for thyroid cancer that has
not spread to other areas of the body.

Thyroid cancer is one of the more treatable forms of cancer and has a 90
percent cure rate. We wish the Chief Justice well.

Barbara K. Hecht,
Ph.D.

Frederick Hecht, M.D.

Medical Editors, MedicineNet.com

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