New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy will undergo surgery to remove a likely cancerous kidney tumor, he announced Saturday.
Murphy, 62, told NJ Advance Media that the tumor was caught at an early stage and that doctors have “complete confidence” that they will be able to fully remove it from his left kidney without chemotherapy or radiation.
“Friends – I’ve got a tumor on my left kidney and will undergo a partial nephrectomy in early March to remove it,” Murphy tweeted Saturday night. “The prognosis is very good and I’m profoundly grateful to my doctors for detecting the tumor early.”
The tumor is 90 percent likely to be cancerous, but doctors won’t know for sure until after the surgery.
Murphy expects to be hospitalized for two or three days following the procedure, during which Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver will serve as acting governor.
The governor seized on the news to call out America’s health care system as a “national emergency.”
“If there’s anything my diagnosis reminds me of,” he said, “it’s that preventative services are lifesaving and we need to continue fighting for affordable health care for all.”
Gov. Andrew Cuomo tweeted his support from across the Hudson.
“My thoughts are with @GovMurphy and his entire family as we wish him a full and speedy recovery,” Cuomo said. “NY has your back, Governor.”
