Lucas Had Colon Cancer, Hospital Says : Operation Removed Growth; No Further Treatment Expected

SAN FRANCISCO â€”  The state Supreme Court disclosed today that Chief Justice Malcolm M. Lucas’ operation last week was for cancer of the colon but that he is expected to make a full recovery.

The court, which had previously described the operation only as abdominal surgery and kept the details secret at Lucas’ request, released a statement from Stanford University Medical Center saying a malignant growth had been removed from his colon.

Lucas, 60, entered the hospital July 21 and was released July 29, the statement said. He is working at his Long Beach home on court matters and, after a short vacation with his wife, will return to his San Francisco office at the end of August, in time for the next regularly scheduled calendar of oral arguments in September, the court said.

Doctor’s Statement

Dr. Harry Oberman, a professor of surgery at Stanford’s School of Medicine who was one of two doctors attending Lucas, said in a statement: “Chief Justice Lucas underwent resection of a segment of his large intestine and rectum for a polyp. A portion of the polyp was malignant, but there was no evidence of spread of the malignancy to the lymph nodes, adjacent tissues or liver; a CT scan was normal.

“No further specific therapy is felt necessary, and Justice Lucas is anticipated to make a full and complete recovery.�

In his first statement since the operation, Lucas said: “This was just one of life’s little character-building experiences, and I’m glad it’s completely behind me. I’m looking forward to getting back to the court.�

Lucas, a former federal judge, was appointed to the court in 1984 by Gov. George Deukmejian, his former law partner. Deukmejian named him chief justice this February, succeeding Chief Justice Rose Elizabeth Bird, who was ousted by the voters last November.

Before her appointment in 1977 and early in her tenure on the court, Bird had three operations for breast cancer.