Ruth Bader Ginsburg announces recurrence of cancer, says she’s undergoing chemotherapy

WASHINGTON — Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg announced Friday that she’s been receiving chemotherapy since May to treat a recurrence of cancer but added that she has no plans to retire from the Supreme Court.

The liberal justice, 87, said doctors found lesions on her liver following a regular scan and a subsequent biopsy in February. She said she’s seen “positive results” since beginning chemotherapy May 19.

“My most recent scan on July 7 indicated significant reduction of the liver lesions and no new disease,” Ginsburg said. “I am tolerating chemotherapy well and am encouraged by the success of my current treatment.”

Ginsburg plans to continue bi-weekly chemotherapy treatments. She said Friday that her diagnosis and treatments have not affected her work on the nation’s highest court.

“I have often said I would remain a member of the Court as long as I can do the job full steam,” she said. “I remain fully able to do that.”

Earlier this year, Ginsburg was briefly hospitalized after receiving nonsurgical treatment for acute cholecystitis, a benign gallbladder condition. Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathleen Arberg said Tuesday that Ginsburg was admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore for treatment of a possible infection. She was released from the hospital one day later.

Ginsburg said Friday that neither the gallbladder condition nor the possible infection were connected to her cancer diagnosis.

Ginsburg was appointed to the Supreme Court in August 1993 by President Bill Clinton, filling the seat held by Byron “Whizzer” White. She was the second woman appointed to the Supreme Court.

Ginsburg has been treated four times for cancer. In addition to the tumor on her pancreas last year, she was previously treated for colorectal cancer in 1999 and pancreatic cancer in 2009. She had lung surgery to remove cancerous growths in December 2018.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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