Congressman Dan Kildee, who represents Michigan’s 8th congressional district, announced Friday that he’s been diagnosed with cancer but thankfully caught it very early.
The Democratic representative was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma after undergoing what he “thought was a preventive scan for a swollen lymph node,” a statement reads Friday. Kildee said a small tumor was found in one of his tonsils and will be surgically removed in the coming weeks.
Recommended Videos
The representative’s prognosis after surgery and treatment is “excellent,” Kildee said.
Tonsil cancer is statistically unlikely to be fatal, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Treatment options include “surgery, radiation therapy, or a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy,” the Mayo Clinic says.
Kildee will be taking some time away from work while he undergoes treatment.
“My doctors have advised me it will take a few weeks to recover after the surgery. I’m eager to have this chapter behind me and get back to work,” Kildee said in a statement. “But in the meantime, I’ll be away from the office for a period of time. My congressional office will remain open to serve the people of Michigan’s Eighth Congressional District.”
Kildee, a Flint native, oversees the district encompassing Flint and other major cities like Bay City, Midland and Saginaw. In 2022, he was reelected for a sixth term in the redrawn district.