Good afternoon. As I was able to tell you this morning, you know that Tony Snow went into surgery yesterday. He told everyone last Friday that he was going to have this surgery. You remember that he said that the doctors had found a small growth, that they had seen over a series of CAT scans and MRIs, that had been identified on his abdomen. It was in the area where his previous cancer had been located. Tony called us this morning and informed us that despite all of our best hopes and expectations, that his doctors, unfortunately, learned that the growth was cancerous and there has been some metastases, including to the liver.

This news has obviously saddened everyone at the White House; from the President and the First Lady, his team, the entire staff, the outpouring has been quite amazing. You heard from the President in the Rose Garden. Of course, all of Tony's family is in our prayers. The President said, Tony should stay strong, and "know a lot of people love you and care for you and will pray for you." And we'll all look forward to the day when Tony can come back and take the podium again. Believe me, we're looking forward to that.

I spoke to Tony briefly this morning, around 9:30 a.m. He told me he was up, walking around and comfortable. He will remain in the hospital for several days. That was already part of the plan because it was major surgery that he had. He did not have a lot more detail. I will try to answer your questions as best I can, but the ones that I can't answer I will endeavor to get you the answer, or I'll just have to tell you that we're not going to be able to answer those questions. Some of them are privacy concerns and health related.

If you know Tony, then you know that he's a fighter. He plans to take this on with the advice of his doctors. They are in consultation right now, talking about an aggressive treatment to go after the cancer that he said will likely include chemotherapy, but could include other things, as well. And when I have more on that I can provide that to you, as well. All of us -- we gain a lot of strength from his optimism. He told me that he beat this thing before and he intends to beat it again.

Note: The following are exerpts from the press briefing that pertain directly to the news of Tony Snow.  The full press briefing can be found here.

Q Just one quick question, if you're able to answer. During the surgery, do you know if they were able to take the area out of the liver that was cancerous? And you mentioned that it had spread to areas, including the liver. Does that mean it's gone beyond to other areas, as well?

MS. PERINO: I can -- I don't know the answer to the first question, in regards to if they did any further surgery or -- on the liver at the time. Again, if I can find that out, I'll let you know, if I can get back in touch with him today. What he told me is that the small growth that they had found was in the general area of where the first cancer had originated those years ago, and that when they went back in, even though the blood tests have been negative and the PET scans had been negative for cancer, that they discovered it was cancer, and then he said, and it had spread to the liver, and there has been some metastases -- plural. So that's as far as I can go on that.

Kevin.

Q Dana, do you have a sense of how his treatment might differ this time, versus the first occurrence of cancer?

MS. PERINO: I don't. I know that he's working with the same doctors, at least a core of the same doctors that he worked with before. And, so, obviously, they were successful in their first attempts to beat it back those couple years ago. I think it was just last month that he had reached the two-year mark of being cancer free.

So he just said that he's in consultations with his doctors, and I think that they'll -- it will take some time, I think, for them to figure out what's the best course of treatment. But as soon as I can tell you, and to the extent that he's comfortable with me being able to share that with you, I will do so.

Q Dana, where other than the liver? You said metastases, plural.

MS. PERINO: I don't know, he didn't say.

Jonathan.

Q Dana, just two questions. One, when was this growth first detected? And then a question about the first episode. Do you know at what stage the cancer was at the time in 2005 that it had actually penetrated --

MS. PERINO: Stage 3, that first -- when he was first diagnosed those years ago, it was stage 3. I do not know which stage this cancer is that they found.

Q But when was it that they first detected the growth?

MS. PERINO: This new growth?

Q The new growth, yes.

MS. PERINO: All I know is that he said, "in a recent series of CAT scans and PET scans and MRIs, we have found a small growth in my lower abdomen." I don't know specifically, but I do know that as a cancer patient, and many others who either have cancer patients in their family or are survivors themselves, you get regular checkups. And he would go in for a checkup every three to four months. And I believe that this goes back -- maybe just a couple of the tests before that. They've been keeping an eye on this growth.

Q How big was the growth, Dana?

MS. PERINO: On Friday he said that it was about the size of the tip of his pinky finger. And so -- his pinky finger is probably a little larger than mine.

Q And do you have any information on his family? Obviously, his wife and his children --

MS. PERINO: I don't. I know that Jill Snow, his wife, was with him at the hospital today when I spoke to her. Obviously, this is a family that has been through a lot. And they -- I have never seen such a close-knit family. They really just love each other so much. They're very supportive. Being a Press Secretary of the United States -- to the President of the United States is not an easy job, but Tony really cut out time for his family whenever he possibly could and they were very close. And so I'm sure that this is difficult for them. And I know that they appreciate all the prayers that people are offering.

Q Did he express that he was feeling ill prior to the surgery, or anything that might have been -- looking back now --

MS. PERINO: No, he said that he felt fine. He said he felt fine.

Q Now that Tony has become more of a public face for cancer, and it's shaken the White House, can we expect the White House, as it does other health issues like heart awareness, heart health awareness, can we expect to see something from the White House as to something on cancer prevention, something that's been a pet project of Tony's?

MS. PERINO: It's a great question. Obviously, the President and Mrs. Bush do lots of different focus -- as Mrs. Bush is really focusing on heart health for women, and we have, obviously, AIDS prevention issues. It's a good question about cancer prevention. I think -- well, one thing I know for sure for myself and my team, and -- our team at the White House, everybody, we are much more aware about cancer and also about the treatments that people get, and the things that a family goes through when they go in for their checkups, and there's that huge sigh of relief that they have whenever that test comes back negative

And so it's a great question. I don't have any specific programs to think about right now, but I know that we have had some increases in cancer funding, and especially cancer research funding. And I'll work with Tony Fratto, we can get you the details on that.

Anybody else? On Tony? Sheryl, then Connie.

Q Dana, a couple more questions on Tony. He went for a series of checkups recently. There were -- a couple weeks ago he told us he was going off to Walter Reed, and then I believe he went back again for an MRI. Did something come up at that Walter Reed checkup that then prompted this series of --

MS. PERINO: From what he told me and from what I understood -- and again, I'm not a doctor, so I probably didn't ask all the right questions -- but he had had the CAT scan and/or the MRI -- I don't know if anyone else remembers -- but he had the CAT scan. And because the growth -- they continued to see it and they had seen it had grown over that time period between the last checkup, there was a decision to do a PET scan and possibly -- I don't know when the MRI came in. Maybe around the same time. But the PET scan was, as I understand it, a more in-depth look as to what was going on with the growth. And so he did that PET scan, and it was from there that they decided and weighed options about how to go in and tackle it.

Q And also, last Thursday, when Elizabeth Edwards made her announcement, Tony spoke rather eloquently about her. And it was only the next day, Friday, that he told us that he would, himself, be going in for surgery. Did he talk at all about this being on his mind on Thursday, as he was speaking --

MS. PERINO: It was on his mind. He had been wrestling with the decision with his doctors. I think that early on Tony Snow had decided, given the options, whether laparoscopic surgery and just doing a biopsy, or going in and doing the full surgery, that that was something he and his family and his doctors had to weigh. And Tony decided -- I think he told you last week that he was very -- he's an aggressive cancer patient. And once you decide to be that optimistic person and you have the will to live, that you are a person that's a really good patient for the doctors. And he had decided that he wanted to do the full-blown surgery.

He needed to get some things in order, and he needed to make sure he talked to the President; he needed to find -- he wasn't sure when the -- on Thursday, I can tell you, he wasn't sure when the surgery was going to be. I believe they were still talking with the surgeons to figure out schedules.

Q But, Dana, you remember that moment, that quite emotional moment, when he was talking about Elizabeth Edwards, and he paused -- was he aware of something at that point that was causing such emotion for him?

MS. PERINO: No, if you remember -- well, I think anyone who is a cancer survivor -- and I am not one, so I cannot put myself in their shoes -- but anytime I think that you're talking about a fellow human being -- and I don't know how well he knows the Edwards family, but I think that you have a kinship and an understanding and a connection that maybe some of us don't have. And of course, I'm sure he was thinking of his own family and he knew that he had made the decision to go in for the surgery.

But remember, he told all of us not to jump to conclusions because the blood tests and the PET scan had been negative for cancer. And he really believed that the best thing to do for himself and for his family was to aggressively go after the cancer and just to see -- I'm sorry -- aggressively go after the growth, see if there was any problem with it. And unfortunately, there was.

Q Did he talk to you today about a feeling of shock? I know that when I spoke to him, he seemed -- he was very upbeat about it and he told us all, don't jump to conclusions, as you said. So did this -- how did he take this news?

MS. PERINO: Our conversation was about five to six minutes long. When I talked to him he had already talked to the President. It's hard for me to describe if he was shocked, or not. Disappointed, surely; but resolute, and almost immediately ready to get up and start fighting. Like I said, he said, you have to make sure that you deliver the message on the Iraq war supplemental. But in addition to that, he had said that his doctors are top-notch, and that they were already in consultations. So they did the surgery yesterday, and within a 12-hour period, they're already discussing the treatment for the way forward.

Q Dana, is it his expectation, his desire, to be back here on the job while he undergoes this treatment? I mean, obviously, we don't know what the treatment is yet. But if that is physically possible, is it his desire to be back here?

MS. PERINO: Well, I certainly hope so. But he -- I can't say what his treatment is going to be, because he hasn't decided yet. And I did talk to Dr. Tubb just to understand the range of possibilities with chemotherapy treatment, and he doesn't know what the doctors are going to decide, but it just depends on what they decide to do and what the needs are.

I do know that Tony Snow loves this job. He says it is the best job he's ever had in his life. He, in fact, has called it "communications Disneyland." (Laughter.) So he loves the job, and I think his intention, of course, is to come back. The President wants to have him back, as you heard today. So as soon as we have more on that, we can let you know. But the intention is that he'll be back, and I just don't know when.

Q Is he watching you now, do you think?

MS. PERINO: Is he watching me now? I hope he's sleeping. I hope he's not watching me now, I'll start blushing. (Laughter.)

Connie, go ahead.

Q Thank you. By the way, we are all sorry, and we appreciate you talking to us. Two questions. Abdominal surgery is really painful. What is being done to control the pain?

MS. PERINO: I don't know. I don't know the answer to what's being done to control the pain. I'm sure his doctors are taking very good care of him, and if he's in pain, that they're addressing it.

Q And one more. He made a huge financial sacrifice to take this job, even though he loves it. Is the White House or the government doing anything to help --

MS. PERINO: Tony Snow is paid the salary that he's paid, and he has health insurance, and I'm sure he's taken care of that way.

Q How bizarre is this for you?

MS. PERINO: How bizarre is this for me?

Q Yes, I mean, now suddenly you're up there, it's an incredibly intense time, as far as the administration goes. I'm sure you weren't prepared to --

MS. PERINO: Anticipating this?

Q Yes.

MS. PERINO: No. As my team laughs. But the great thing about the White House is the people that you work with. That is by far what everyone says, whenever they leave, that the thing that they miss the most are the people that you work with. And we are so supportive of each other. And Tony has really given all of us a lot more opportunities as deputies, and we have tried to step up to the plate where he has allowed us to -- or given us opportunity to. And so, for me, I don't have really any other feeling but concern for Tony, a little bit of shock for myself. I thought he was going to call back and they were going to say, oh, he's fine, no problems.

And so all of our energies are going to be concentrated on making sure that we do the job Tony would want us to do, and we will make sure that we try to fulfill every need that you have and that the President has, and we'll be in touch with him for advice.

Roger.

Q Would the President be considering a visit to him in the next few days or early next week?

MS. PERINO: We'll let you know. I know there's nothing on the schedule right now. Remember, Tony didn't tell you where he was. And if we take the President, then you'll know where he is.

Q When I asked him Friday, he wouldn't say, either.

MS. PERINO: No, he doesn't want to say.

Q Dana, do you know enough about what's in Tony's short-term future to know whether he will be in a position to be in daily contact with the White House, or is he --

MS. PERINO: Seems so. I don't know for sure, but it seems so. I talked to him -- he talked to the President in the 7:00 a.m. hour this morning; he talked to me at 9:30 a.m. And again, he said, none of us should bug him for details about his medical condition, but I think that if we need him, we need his advice, I'm sure that if we need to find him, we can. But it's just too early to say.

Q So he's making the afternoon meeting this afternoon by phone? (Laughter.)

Q Have any doctors discussed what the survival rate is for cancer victims who have had cancer metastasize --

MS. PERINO: I'm sure all of you have access to medical experts or medical correspondents that -- I'd have to refer you to them. I know of no such thing.

Q For viewers who want to send a get-well wish, a card, anything like that --

MS. PERINO: Can I look into that and figure out the best way to do that? And we'll get you a good address to make sure -- make sure they get there.

Jim.

Q Are we ready to --

MS. PERINO: Lester, is yours on Tony, or not?

Q It begins with Tony, but I'll --

MS. PERINO: Why don't we save you to the end?

Q Sure.

MS. PERINO: Best for last. Still on Tony? Okay, April.

Q It's kind of a procedural -- understanding cancer, how will -- as the process goes, we just don't know how long it takes and what kinds of treatments have to be done -- what will be in place procedurally here for us? Will it be you or someone else?

MS. PERINO: As Tony said on Friday, that I'll be assuming as acting press secretary or deputy -- I am his deputy. I'm not the press secretary; I'm the deputy press secretary, but I'm acting in his position. So if you need things that you would have taken directly to Tony, I'll try to help you out.