US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer

The Pentagon has announced that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

It was reported that Austin was taken to Walter Reed Hospital on December 22 last year for diagnosis and underwent a minimally invasive procedure to treat and cure it.

"Secretary Austin recovered uneventfully from his surgery and returned home the next morning," the military hospital said in a statement. "His prostate cancer was detected early, and his prognosis is excellent."

Austin was then readmitted to Walter Reed on January 1 due to "complications from the December 22 procedure, including nausea with severe abdominal, hip, and leg pain."

[DEVELOPING] US SecDef Austin Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer

(Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Doctors: Austin 'Never Lost Consciousness' During Hospital Stay

NBC News reported that, after an initial evaluation that Austin had a urinary tract infection, doctors have decided to transfer him to the intensive care unit for "close monitoring and a higher level of care."

Afterward, medical staff discovered that the cabinet official had "abdominal fluid collections impairing the function of his small intestines."

"This resulted in the back up of his intestinal contents which was treated by placing a tube through his nose to drain his stomach," the officials added. "The abdominal fluid collections were drained by non-surgical drain placement. He has progressed steadily throughout his stay."

Walter Reed officials also stressed that Austin was expected to make a full recovery and that he "never lost consciousness and never underwent general anesthesia" during his stay in hospital.

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