U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy has a malignant brain tumor, doctors treating him at Massachusetts General Hospital said 
Tuesday.
Kennedy, 76, was hospitalized Saturday morning after suffering a seizure at his family's compound at Hyannisport, Massachusetts.
"Preliminary results from a biopsy of the brain identified the cause of the seizure as a malignant glioma in the left parietal lobe," according to a hospital statement.
Malignant glioma is the most common primary brain tumor, accounting for more than half of the 18,000 primary malignant brain tumors diagnosed each year in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute.
A tumor in that area of the brain could affect Kennedy's ability to speak and understand speech, as well as the strength on the right side of his body, CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta said.
The parietal lobes are also responsible for interpreting signals from parts of the brain that focus on vision, hearing, motor skills, sensory input and memory, according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.
The usual course of treatment for Kennedy's type of tumor includes radiation and chemotherapy, said Dr. Lee Schwamm, vice chairman of the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Dr. Larry Ronan, primary care physician.
Tuesday.Kennedy, 76, was hospitalized Saturday morning after suffering a seizure at his family's compound at Hyannisport, Massachusetts.
"Preliminary results from a biopsy of the brain identified the cause of the seizure as a malignant glioma in the left parietal lobe," according to a hospital statement.
Malignant glioma is the most common primary brain tumor, accounting for more than half of the 18,000 primary malignant brain tumors diagnosed each year in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute.
A tumor in that area of the brain could affect Kennedy's ability to speak and understand speech, as well as the strength on the right side of his body, CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta said.
The parietal lobes are also responsible for interpreting signals from parts of the brain that focus on vision, hearing, motor skills, sensory input and memory, according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.
The usual course of treatment for Kennedy's type of tumor includes radiation and chemotherapy, said Dr. Lee Schwamm, vice chairman of the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Dr. Larry Ronan, primary care physician.
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