Jun 21 2022 07:56
Panamanian President Laurentino Cortizo said Monday that he has developed a rare blood disorder known as myelodysplastic syndrome, and that he will seek a second medical opinion.
According to the American Cancer Society, myelodysplastic syndromes are a type of cancerous tumor that affects the body’s ability to produce healthy blood cells in the bone marrow.
Cortizo said in a statement that his condition was “moderately serious”, that he was “fine and in good spirits” and that he would continue his daily duties as president.
He added that he received the diagnosis on June 16, after a routine blood test in May showed a decrease in the level of hemoglobin and the number of white blood cells, after which the doctors recommended taking a sample of bone marrow.
He added that he would seek a second opinion from specialists in Houston, Texas, after delivering his annual State of the Union address to the National Assembly in Panama on July 1.
Despite the diagnosis, Cortizo, 69, said his doctors considered him to be in “generally excellent condition”.
Treatments for this syndrome range from blood transfusions and chemotherapy to stem cell transplantation, according to Britain’s National Health Service. Cortizo did not specify whether he would receive treatment.
Source: agencies
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