By DPA
Jerusalem : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Monday that doctors have discovered the “first signs” of a cancerous growth in his prostate.
“According to what my doctors told me, it’s a microscopic growth without metastasis (spread of cancerous cells), which can be removed in a brief surgical procedure,” he told a surprise news conference, televised live, at his office in Jerusalem.
He said, however, he would not be resigning from the premiership.
“I will be fit to fulfil my job to the fullest, before the treatment, and already in the hours afterward,” he said.
Olmert, 62, said the cancer was discovered as part of a routine annual test he has undergone for the past years. He had one on his return from Russia ten days ago and the results were handed to him toward the weekend.
His physicians said Olmert has 95 per cent chances of living a disease-free life after treatment.