(NewsNation) — Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was released from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday after complications from a secret prostate cancer surgery he had in December, the Department of Defense announced in a press release.
Before returning to the Pentagon, Austin will perform his duties from home while he continues to recover at the advice of doctors, the release said.
The director of the Center for Prostate Disease Research said medical professionals caught Austin’s case of prostate cancer early and that there are no further treatments planned for the future.
Doctors are hoping that Austin’s high-profile case helps bring attention to early detection and diagnosis, saying one in every eight men will develop prostate cancer over their lifetime. But when found early, can often lead to a 100% survival rate.
Austin, 70, underwent a “minimally invasive” surgical procedure to treat and cure prostate cancer on Dec. 22.
He returned home the next morning, according to a statement from officials at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The cancer was detected early, and his prognosis is “excellent,” officials said. However, on Jan. 1, Austin was again admitted to the hospital after complications from the procedure in December, including nausea as well as severe abdominal, hip and leg pain. An initial evaluation showed he had a urinary tract infection, the statement said.
Then, on Jan. 2, he was transferred to the intensive care unit. He resumed his duties on Jan. 5 while in the hospital.