US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has begun treatment for prostate cancer, according to a statement from the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
The statement revealed that the cancer was discovered in early December and that the Pentagon chief underwent a "minimally invasive surgical procedure" on December 22 called a prostatectomy to treat the cancer.
"He was under general anesthesia during this procedure. Secretary Austin recovered smoothly from his operation and returned home the next morning. "His prostate cancer was detected early and his prognosis is excellent," the statement said.
Austin did not appear for several days and did not report to the White House about his hospitalization, which raised suspicions about his whereabouts.