U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro Has Surgery to Remove Tumors From GI Tract

U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX 20th District) says he’s recovering from surgery to remove rare, slow-growing tumors from his gastrointestinal tract.

Castro, 48, who currently represents the San Antonio area in Congress, released a statement Monday afternoon that said he’d undergone successful surgery at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston earlier in the day and will be recovering at home for a few weeks before returning to Washington, D.C.

“Today, I successfully underwent surgery to remove gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors. Last summer, doctors discovered these small, slow-growing, and mostly asymptomatic tumors following a series of tests.”

According to cancer.gov, a gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumor is a cancer that forms in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, which is part of the digestive system, and most often in the small intestine or rectum.

Some GI neuroendocrine tumors have no signs or symptoms in the early stages. The tumor can spread to the liver or other areas of the body if left untreated.

The tumors are rare and are diagnosed through blood and urine tests.

Castro said his prognosis is good and he thanked the medical staff in Houston and San Antonio for his treatment and care.

“Thank you to the doctors, nurses, and medical staff at MD Anderson Cancer Center and the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio for their care and treatment and thank you to my family for their love and support.”

Joaquin Castro has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2012 and is a former member of the Texas House of Representatives. His identical twin brother, Julian Castro, was formerly the mayor of San Antonio and served as HUD secretary under President Barack Obama before running for president in 2020.

Read more about gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors from cancer.gov here.