U.S. National Archives

Justice Ginsburg Announces Return Of Her Cancer, Vows To Remain On Bench

Updated September 5, 2021

At 87, Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the oldest serving Supreme Court Justice, and she just announced a recurrence of cancer, Reuters reported.

The news comes on the heels of a reported visit to the hospital to treat a bile duct stent which had become infected and left her in considerable discomfort, including a fever and chills.

Justice Ginsburg has had cancer before.

Wikimedia | https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Justice_Ruth_Bader_Ginsburg_and_her_husband_Martin_D._Ginsburg_in_2009.jpg

In 1999, she was treated for colon cancer. In 2009, she was treated for pancreatic cancer. The pancreatic cancer recurred in 2019, requiring radiation therapy. She also had a portion of her lung removed due to tumors in 2018.

In February, a scan revealed lesions on Justice Ginsburg's liver.

Wikimedia | https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ruth_Bader_Ginsburg,_SCOTUS_photo_portrait.jpg

A biopsy later revealed that they were cancerous, but it's not liver cancer - it's a return of her pancreatic cancer, CNN reported.

In her statement, Justice Ginsburg said she started chemotherapy in May after first starting immunotherapy, which failed to reduce the size of the tumors.

Chemotherapy, however, has been successful so far, Justice Ginsburg continued.

Wikimedia | https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ruth_Bader_Ginsburg_in_2017.jpg

"My most recent scan on July 7 indicated 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."

Justice Ginsburg also issued an assurance that she was still able to do her job and had no intention of going anywhere.

"I will continue bi-weekly chemotherapy to keep my cancer at bay, and am able to maintain an active daily routine. Throughout, I have kept up with opinion writing and all other Court work," she wrote.

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

h/t: Reuters, CNN