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Comeback credit Armstrong's spirit fuels recovery, doctor says
Posted: Wednesday July 14, 1999 07:08 PM
PARIS (AP) -- The doctor whom Lance Armstrong credits with his remarkable recovery from cancer is thrilled by his patient's exploits in the Tour de France. But he says it's due more to Armstrong's will and spirit than his own medical care. Armstrong had only a 50-60 percent chance of surviving when he came to see Dr. Lawrence Einhorn, medical oncologist at the Indiana University Medical Center, for testicular cancer. "We treat a large number of patients and we always hope and expect they'll be cured," said Dr. Einhorn, reached by telephone from Paris. "But to come back as a professional athlete, and to be in his form -- that is a result of Lance's spirit and dedication," he said. "It's one thing to recover and go back to work as an accountant," said Dr. Einhorn. "But it is very, very difficult to perform as an athlete, after all the terrible fatigue you go through, and everything else." "But Lance is just a wonderful person, a great model for everything that's good in sports and in medicine," he said. Dr. Einhorn said one example of Armstrong's determination was that between his draining rounds of chemotherapy -- he went through four of them, lasting five days each -- he would ride his bike 30-50 miles a day. Dr. Einhorn and another specialist contacted by The Associated Press, Dr. Phil Kantoff of Harvard Medical School, said testicular cancer strikes most commonly at young men. They said there is no known cause. And they both strongly denied any link between testicular cancer and performance-enhancing drugs, as some European newspapers have hinted, without presenting any evidence, in regard to Armstrong. "I've read about these hints and they're ridiculous -- knowing Lance, and also knowing that drugs have absolutely no cause in the development of this cancer," Dr. Einhorn said. "This guy is so clean-living, you wouldn't believe it," he added. Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer in October 1996, after he noticed swelling, began coughing up blood and suffered dizziness and blurred vision. It turned out the cancer had spread to his lungs and brain. After two operations and the extensive chemotherapy, he began his comeback early last year. He now has only a tiny chance of the cancer returning. "He's 98-percent home free," Dr. Einhorn said. He said Armstrong's treatment is completely finished and that he takes no medication. Armstrong appeared on a post-race television show on Wednesday, after he had widened his overall lead to a commanding seven minutes, 42 seconds. He was asked about some snide headlines in the French tabloid press, implying -- without saying so -- that Armstrong couldn't achieve his stunning victory over European riders without some extra help. "Stupefying Armstrong," was the headline of Wednesday's edition of France-Soir, referring to his victory Tuesday in the Alps -- and using the French word for drugs. The sports daily L'Equipe's headline, above a picture of the 27-year-old Texan, read: "On Another Planet." Inside, another said: "Hallucinating Armstrong" -- another play on words. Armstrong said he was aware of the innuendo. "I saw today's headlines. Yes, they have many questions," he said after the race. "It's not true that I take banned substances, or that I've tested positive. It's incredible that they print this. Why do they print this?" He said his success was a result of hard work, preparation, and good luck. The Texan came to the mountains and tested out each stage months ago -- something few if any riders have done. Mark Gorski, general manager of the U.S. Postal Service Team, said the team was not overly upset about the headlines. "That's the kind of junk that sells newspapers," he said.
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