Mitt Romney, Purported Utah Senate Hopeful, Treated For Cancer

SALT LAKE CITY, UT — Mitt Romney, the former Republican governor of Massachusetts and former presidential hopeful who plans to run for Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch's seat, was treated for prostate cancer last year according to an aide. The aide spoke on the condition of anonymity because the aide was not authorized to discuss a sensitive health issue publicly.

Last year, Romney was diagnosed with "slow-growing prostate cancer," the aide said on Monday. The cancer had to be surgically removed and was found not to have spread beyond the prostate.

Romney, 70, is mulling over whether to run for the Utah Senate seat after Hatch announced last week he wouldn't seek another term in the fall. Those closest to Romney expect him to announce his intentions in the coming weeks.

Romney moved to Utah after losing the 2012 presidential contest against then-incumbent Democrat Barack Obama. He met privately with Hatch last year to discuss Hatch's possible retirement. In the subsequent months, and with Hatch's apparent blessing, he quietly expressed interest in running for the seat in Hatch's absence.

By STEVE PEOPLES, Associated Press

Photo credit: Evan Vucci/Associated Press