Steve Jobs undergoes cancer surgery

Apple Computer CEO and cofounder Steve Jobs said Sunday he had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his pancreas but added he expects a full recovery.

"I have some personal news that I need to share with you, and I wanted you to hear it directly from me, Jobs said in an e-mail message to employees. "This weekend I underwent a successful surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from my pancreas. I had a very rare form of pancreatic cancer called an islet cell neuroendocrine tumor, which represents about 1% of the total cases of pancreatic cancer diagnosed each year, and can be cured by surgical removal if diagnosed in time (mine was). I will not require any chemotherapy or radiation treatments."

A far more common form of pancreatic cancer is called adenocarcinoma, Jobs said, noting that this form of the illness is currently not curable and usually carries a life expectancy of around one year after diagnosis. "I mention this because when one hears 'pancreatic cancer' (or Googles it), one immediately encounters this far more common and deadly form, which, thank god, is not what I had," he added.

Job said he will be off recuperate during August and expects to return to work in September. During his absence, Apple will be run by Timothy Cook, the company's executive vice president of worldwide sales and operations.

"I'm sure I'll be calling some of you way too much in August, and I look forward to seeing you in September, Jobs said. "PS: I'm sending this from my hospital bed using my 17-inch PowerBook and an Airport Express."

A copy of Jobs' e-mail to Apple employees is available here.