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Ruth Bader Ginsburg had cancerous cells removed during surgery

Posted at 9:30 AM, Dec 21, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-21 13:11:40-05

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had two cancerous nodules removed from her left lung Friday at a New York hospital, the Supreme Court announced.

There is no evidence of any remaining disease, says a court spokesperson, nor is there evidence of disease elsewhere in the body.

The 85-year-old justice was hospitalized last month after a fall in her office, in which she fractured three ribs.

In 1999, Ginsburg underwent surgery for colorectal cancer, and 10 years later she was treated for early stages of pancreatic cancer.

The senior-most liberal justice, Ginsburg has said that she'll continue to serve on the Supreme Court as long as she's able to do the job.

"I said I will do this job as long as I can do it full steam," Ginsburg said Sunday during an interview following a New York City screening of "On the Basis of Sex," a feature film about her years as a young lawyer.

Read the full statement from the court:

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg underwent a pulmonary lobectomy today at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. Two nodules in the lower lobe of her left lung were discovered incidentally during tests performed at George Washington University Hospital to diagnose and treat rib fractures sustained in a fall on November 7. According to the thoracic surgeon, Valerie W. Rusch, MD, FACS, both nodules removed during surgery were found to be malignant on initial pathology evaluation. Post-surgery, there was no evidence of any remaining disease. Scans performed before surgery indicated no evidence of disease elsewhere in the body. Currently, no further treatment is planned. Justice Ginsburg is resting comfortably and is expected to remain in the hospital for a few days. Updates will be provided as they become available.

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