Rob Ford Has Cancer

The Toronto mayor has been diagnosed with a malignant abdominal tumor.

AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Chris Young, file

Toronto mayor Rob Ford has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, his doctor announced during a press conference on Wednesday.

"It is a difficult and very rare type of tumor," Dr. Zane Cohen, a colorectal surgeon in charge of Ford's medical team, said. He classified Ford's cancer as "a malignant liposarcoma" and said the mayor had "fairly aggressive tumors" in his abdomen and buttocks, the National Post reports.

Dr. Cohen added that he is "optimistic" Ford could recover through chemotherapy treatment.

Ford was hospitalized last Wednesday after he had severe abdominal pain. On Thursday, doctors found a "significant mass" in his abdomen.

"I can't begin to share how devastating this has been for Rob and our family," his brother Doug Ford said in a statement released Wednesday. "He is an incredible person, husband, father, brother and son and he remains upbeat and determined to fight this. Rob has always been strong for all of us and I ask us all to be strong for him."

On Friday, Ford announced he was dropping out of the Toronto mayoral race and that Doug Ford would run in his place.

Doug Ford, brother of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, is seen at his mother's home in Etobicoke, Ontario Sept. 12.

Fred Thornhill / Reuters

LINK: Rob Ford Drops Out Of Toronto Mayor's Race

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