Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 2, 1995 TAG: 9508020035
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: DALLAS LENGTH: Medium
Mantle said in a statement taped Friday that ``doctors found a couple of spots of cancer on my lungs'' about two weeks ago.
The Hall of Famer had returned Friday to Baylor University Medical Center, where he underwent a liver transplant June 8, and was released Tuesday morning. His original liver was damaged by the combined effects of a cancerous tumor, a longstanding hepatitis infection and years of alcohol abuse.
Mantle's doctors said during a news conference Tuesday that they discovered in an examination during a routine follow up that the cancer had spread to several small spots on Mantle's right lung.
Doctors would not predict Mantle's chances for survival as they had after the initial transplant, when they listed his five-year survival expectancy rate at about 60 percent.
``I think that it's difficult to say at this point,'' said Dr. Robert Goldstein, Mantle's transplant surgeon. ``It's very early and we're still taking it day by day. We are still hopeful that this will respond to therapy.''
The lung cancer was not apparent three days before the transplant but it is now believed that it was there, said Dr. Daniel DeMarco, a gastroenterologist treating Mantle.
`` ... But it was undetectable,'' he said.
An apprentice transplant surgeon, Dr. David Mulligan, earlier had said that some cancerous tissue was left behind, possibly involving the adjoining pancreas.
Goldstein said no spread of cancer was detected and added that a second patient had been waiting as a backup recipient in case such a situation had occurred.
``If we had found any evidence of cancer outside the liver before we did the transplant, we would have backed out,'' he said. ``Right now what we have is a new problem.''
``We feel that we have done everything that we would do for any patient,'' Goldstein added. ``Baylor has very strict guidelines and policies that we follow for all our patients, and I think, in retrospect, we would do the same thing again.''
Mantle has been undergoing chemotherapy, which will continue. However, no further surgery is planned at this time, his doctors said.
Because his liver is working very well, Mantle's doctors said they will aggressively push his therapy.
``If he had a liver that wasn't working very well, it would be a different situation in that we could not use as much of the chemotherapy as we'd like,'' Goldstein said. ``But now with him doing as well as he if from the transplant standpoint, we have a fighting chance.''
In his statement, a wan-looking Mantle, weighing about 175 pounds and wearing a cap and golf shirt, said: ``Hi, this is Mick. When I left Baylor University Medical Center about six weeks ago, I felt great. ...
``I come back to the hospital for checkups every once in a while, and about two weeks ago, the doctors found a couple of spots of cancer in my lungs.''
He said he was taking chemotherapy ``to get rid of the new cancer,'' thanked fans for their great show of support, and added, ``if you'd like to do something really great, be a donor.''
DeMarco said the ``chances are real'' that the cancer might spread to other organs.
``At the same time, we're giving him systemic chemotherapy so if it is present, I hope we're having an affect against it,'' he said.
The likely reason Mantle returned to the hospital was because of his chemotherapy, which causes such unpleasant side effects as nausea, vomiting and weakness, DeMarco said. Instead of receiving one particular type of treatment every three weeks, the treatment was given again after only two weeks.
Mantle, who lives in Dallas, was discharged from the hospital after his transplant June 28, and his doctors had said his prospects for recovery were good.
Mantle replaced Joe DiMaggio as the New York Yankees' center fielder in 1951 and became one of baseball's premier sluggers, earning three Most Valuable Player awards and four American League home run titles. He retired in 1968 with 536 home runs. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.
His career was sidetracked by many injuries. Doctors speculated Mantle contracted hepatitis from blood transfusions he received during operations he underwent while a player.
by CNB