Amsterdam mayor reveals metastatic lung cancer diagnosis

Amsterdam mayor Eberhard van der Laan has been diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer, he announced in a letter to the city council on Friday. More tests will give more clarity on his prognosis, but "it seems that the diagnosis gives little reason for optimism", he said in the letter, Het Parool reports.

The 61-year-old mayor is being treated in the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek hospital. He wants to continue his work as mayor as much as possible, and will do so in consultation with the city council and aldermen. But certain tasks and public appearances will have to be handled by the aldermen.

Van der Laan was appointed mayor of Amsterdam in 2010. He was diagnosed with cancer for the first time in 2013.

Here follows the entire text of Van der Laan's letter, translated from Dutch:

Dear Amsterdammers,

With this letter I bring you up to date on bad news. This week I was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer. While more will become evident about the nature of the prognosis in the near future, it seems that the diagnosis gives little reason for optimism.

My work as mayor I want to continue to do, in consultation with the city council and college of mayor and aldermen, in a way that does justice to the city and the office. I would like to stay your mayor for a while longer. 

Of course, some tasks and public appearances in the coming time will have to be taken over by other members of the college of mayor and aldermen. In the meantime, I am in the good hands of my family and the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital. If there is reason to do so, I shall inform you further.

With best regards, 

Eberhard van der Laan