Press Secretary Snow’s cancer returns

3:21 p.m.

White House spokesman Tony Snow’s cancer has returned and spread to his liver, and he will soon begin treatment, most likely including chemotherapy, the White House said today.

“My attitude is, is that we need to pray for him, and for his family,” said President Bush, who spoke to Mr. Snow, 51, early this morning.

“Obviously, a lot of folks here in the White House worry a lot about their friend, as do Laura and I. And so my message to Tony is, stay strong; a lot of people love you and care for you and will pray for you,” Mr. Bush said. “We’re hoping for all the best. I’m looking forward to the day that he comes back to the White House and briefs the press corps on the decisions that I’m making and why I’m making them.”

Both Republican and Democratic leaders in the Senate expressed support for Mr. Snow as well.

“I hope and I pray that Tony Snow will again be able to whip this cancer that he’s already been able to whip once,” said Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino, Mr. Snow’s deputy and interim replacement, first told reporters the bad news during the traditional off-camera morning briefing.

“I’ve just spoken to him, but unfortunately the growth was cancerous,” Mrs. Perino said, breaking down into tears when she mentioned chemotherapy.

“Sorry, it’s just really hard for us at the White House. I know that you love him too, but it was hard news for us. I didn’t cry until this moment,” Mrs. Perino said.

Mr. Snow, a husband and father of three, has already survived a 2005 bout with stage three colon cancer, an advanced but still concentrated form. At the time he was a nationally syndicated radio show host.

Mr. Snow had surgery to remove his colon and underwent six months of chemotherapy, returning to work during his treatment.

In May of 2006 he replaced Scott McClellan as White House spokesman.

Last Friday, Mr. Snow told reporters that he was going in for surgery to remove an unidentified growth in his pelvic area, which had been found late last year.

“Please do not leap to conclusions about this, because we don’t know what this is,” Mr. Snow said at the time.

Mr. Snow said scans and blood tests had come back negative for cancer, but that he was going into surgery “out of an aggressive sense of caution.”

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