Ted Kennedy Is in Surgery

Sen. Edward Kennedy’s office released a statement this morning saying that he is undergoing surgery on his malignant brain tumor at Duke University in North Carolina.

Over the past several days, Vicki and I, along with my outstanding team of doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital, have consulted with experts from around the country and have decided that the best course of action for my brain tumor is targeted surgery followed by chemotherapy and radiation.

Boston.com reports that the surgery could last as long as six hours, and that the combination of surgery is “considered the most aggressive approach he could take in addressing his malignant brain tumor.” WBZ says that the surgery also carries a lot of risk. If the surgeon cuts out too much of the healthy tissue, the motor and speech areas can be damaged.

If all goes according to plan, Sen. Kennedy hopes to be back on the Senate floor in September.