Mark Foley Has Prostate Cancer

Former congressman Mark Foley says he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and will undergo surgery to treat it in the next few weeks.

The former Florida Republican representative told Newsmaxthat his doctors believe his cancer has been confined to the gland. He said he learned about the cancer during a routine procedure.

"Naturally, I have some reservations about the surgery," he said. "Nobody wants their plumbing messed with. But I mostly feel good about it."

Foley resigned in 2006 after blogger Lane Hudson acquired lurid messages that Foley sent to young male congressional pages. The scandal was an integral step in the Democrats' congressional takeover that year.

When asked about his feelings on the surgery, he said, "I made it through 2006, so this is a minor bump in the road."