Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Undergoes Cancer Treatment Again

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for a cancer recurrence, she said in a press release this afternoon.

“On May 19, I began a course of chemotherapy (gemcitabine) to treat a recurrence of cancer. A periodic scan in February followed by a biopsy revealed lesions on my liver. My recent hospitalizations to remove gall stones and treat an infection were unrelated to this recurrence,” she said in the statement.

Ginsburg was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1999 and then, a decade later, with pancreatic cancer in 2009. In 2018, clinicians found cancerous nodules in her lungs after she was hospitalized for a rib fracture. In 2019, she received radiation therapy to treat pancreatic cancer.

“Immunotherapy first essayed proved unsuccessful,” she said. “The chemotherapy course, however, is yielding positive results. Satisfied that my treatment course is now clear, I am providing this information.”

Ginsburg said that her most recent scans on July 7, “indicated significant reduction of the liver lesions and no new disease.” She explained that she is tolerating the bi-weekly chemotherapy well and is able to continue her “active daily routine.”

At age 87, Ginsburg is the oldest Supreme Court Justice, and has no intention of retiring after this health setback.

“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,” she said.