Novak retires after cancer diagnosis

August 04, 2008 Political columnist Robert Novak, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor a week ago, said Monday that his prognosis was "dire" and announced his immediate retirement. "The details are being worked out with the doctors this week, but the tentative plan is for radiation and chemotherapy," the 77-year-old writer said on the Web site of the Chicago Sun-Times, the newspaper that is home to his column. Novak's brain tumor diagnosis was made on July 27 after he fell ill at a family gathering in Massachusetts and was taken to Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston for treatment.

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