Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Supreme court justice has cancer again

Image copyright Reuters

US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has said she is undergoing chemotherapy for a recurrence of cancer.

In a statement, the 87-year-old judge said the treatment was having “positive results” and she was “fully able” to continue in her post.

Ms Ginsburg said a scan had revealed lesions on her liver, but the chemotherapy had helped to reduce them.

As the court’s most senior liberal justice, her health is closely watched.

She has received hospital treatment a number of times in recent years but has returned swiftly to work on each occasion.

“On May 19, I began a course of chemotherapy to treat a recurrence of cancer,” Ms Ginsburg said in her statement.

“The chemotherapy course… is yielding positive results,” she added. “My most recent scan on 7 July indicated [a] significant reduction of the liver lesions and no new disease.”

“I am tolerating chemotherapy well and am encouraged by the success of my current treatment,” she said. “I will continue bi-weekly chemotherapy to keep my cancer at bay.”

Supreme Court justices serve for life or until they choose to retire, and supporters have expressed concern that if anything were to happen to Ms Ginsburg a more conservative judge might replace her.

President Donald Trump has appointed two judges since taking office, and the current court is seen to have a 5-4 conservative majority in most cases.

Reacting to the news that Ms Ginsburg was taken to hospital, Mr Trump said: “She’s actually giving me some very good rulings… I wish her the absolute best”.