Saskatchewan agriculture minister Lyle Stewart is taking a break from his duties to undergo treatment for prostate cancer.
He told his caucus colleagues and reporters today that he had been diagnosed this summer and that the best treatment could be obtained in Ottawa.
“I’m very confident in the course of treatment,” Stewart told reporters.
“I don’t think this is a life threatening thing.”
He expects to be back in the legislature after the Remembrance Day break.
On the advice of an oncologist, he will undergo an intense two-week radiation treatment called CyberKnife, which, despite its name, is non-invasive.
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“Mine was fairly advanced and so treatments that are available in Saskatchewan weren’t a particularly good fit,” Stewart said.
“Surgery is always an option, but it wasn’t the best option for me as far as side effects and lingering issues.”
He said he feels fine but discomfort prompted him to be checked.
And he urged men, particularly those older than 40, to be checked regularly because the treatment options are much better if the cancer is caught early.
“I must confess that I got a little lax on that,” he said.
Stewart said he had met the doctor who will oversee his treatment and is confident in both him and the process.
“I apologize to my colleagues for shirking my duties for a couple of weeks,” he said.
Government relations minister Jim Reiter will act as agriculture minister during Stewart’s absence.
