Snow's Colon Cancer Spreads to Liver

Tony Snow smiles as he is introduced by President Bush as his new Press Secretary in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington in this Wednesday, April 26, 2006 file photo. Presidential spokesman Tony Snow's surgery to remove a small growth showed that his cancer has returned, the White House said Tuesday, March 27, 2007. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, FILE) (Gerald Herbert - AP)

Perino said Snow is feeling fine after his surgery and has pledged to fight the disease aggressively, likely with chemotherapy but perhaps with other treatments as well. He will be in the hospital recovering from the surgery, a major procedure, for about a week.

Perino broke into tears as she informed reporters Tuesday morning. She said Snow also gave her some instructions to pass on to reporters: "Tell them not to bug me." Throughout the day, lawmakers and members of the public sent good wishes to the White House.

Among them was Sen. John Edwards, a presidential candidate whose wife, Elizabeth, learned last week that her breast cancer had returned in an incurable but treatable form. Snow had publicly lauded her that day for dealing with her cancer without fear. At the time of those comments, Snow knew he was about to undergo more surgery of his own, although he did not know what the tests would show.

"Tony has been an incredible example for people living with cancer and cancer survivors," John Edwards said Tuesday.

Some 153,760 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer this year, and more than 52,000 will die of the disease.

Chemotherapy is a mainstay when the cancer has spread to more than one site, with the hope of controlling, even shrinking, tumors to prolong life.

It was unclear if or when Snow would return to his duties. Perino is leading the news briefings in his absence, which had been expected to be several weeks even before the discovery that his cancer had come back.

Snow and his wife, Jill, have three children, 10, 11 and 14.

"Tony Snow loves this job," Perino said. "He says it is the best job he's ever had in his life. He, in fact, has called it Communications Disneyland. And I think his intention, of course, is to come back. The president wants to have him back."

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AP Medical Writer Lauran Neergaard contributed to this story.

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On the Net:

White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov

Colorectal screening info: http://tinyurl.com/3d55jn