Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, according to news reports. However, the 73-year-old, who is leading the investigation into steroid use in Major League Baseball players, is expected to make a full recovery, since the cancer is small, localized and was caught early enough.

Prostate cancer is a serious health concern among men over 60, but with regular screenings, prognosis is often good for those diagnosed with it.

Wyoming Senator Craig Thomas, a three-term Republican who had been receiving chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia, died on Monday evening at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. He was 74.

Thomas, a five-year veteran of the Wyoming Legislature, was hospitalized for pneumonia just before the 2006 election and had to cancel his final campaign stops. Still, he monitored the election from his hospital bed and won with 70 percent of the vote. Two days after the election, Thomas announced he had just been diagnosed with cancer.

After his first round of chemotherapy, Thomas returned to the Senate in December. He felt better than ever and returned to the hospital in May for his second round of treatment.

Fred Thompson, actor and former United States Senator from Tennessee, made the announcement today that he was diagnosed with lymphoma a few years ago and now is in remission.

Thompson added to that announcement that he was considering running in the 2008 Presidential Election. He stated today on Fox News, "I have had no illness from it, or even any symptoms. I am in remission, and it is very treatable with drugs if treatment is needed in the future -- and with no debilitating side effects".

You can find Thompson playing a district attorney Arthur Branch on the NBC drama Law and Order.

Breast cancer survivor and Grammy- winning rock star Sheryl Crow was on Capital Hill last week where she urged Congress to pass a bill that would provide funds for research into the possible connection between breast cancer and the environment.

The Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act -- predicted to pass, by the way -- would allocate $40 million for study into an area not receiving much attention.

"We're looking into all these different scientific methods, with gene therapy with stem cells, it's all very encouraging but we have not tapped into the area of the environment," Crow says. "We have to look at the environment, we cannot ignore it anymore."

This same bill was defeated last year in the Senate but Senator Harry Reid (D-Nevada) says that was then, this is now.

"We're going to complete this legislation in the Senate this year," he said.

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden is introducing a new proposal to provide affordable, high quality, private health coverage for everyone regardless of where they work or live with the Healthy Americans Act.

"The Healthy Americans Act provides a guarantee -- health coverage for every American that is at least as good as Members of Congress receive and can never be taken away," Wyden explained. "The Act provides universal coverage for no more money than our country spends today. Better care, financial health and security, no increase in costs."

The plan outlines an approach to success by eliminating inefficiency, trips to the emergency room and incentives for prevention and wellness as the primary focus of health care. In addition, the plan provides tough cost containment and saves $1.48 trillion over ten years; and is fully paid for by spending the $2.2 trillion currently spent on health care in America.

"We're here because it is time to fix health care," Wyden added. "After decades of talk and study, it's time for action. Fixing health care is not as complicated as one might think."

Basically, every American will have access to the same opportunity and level of health care coverage that the members of Congress enjoy now. The full text of the 166-page Healthy Americans Act is available as a PDF document.

"Every once in a great while, there comes a person with such a generous soul and amazing spirit that they seem to touch the life of everyone they meet. Liz Karnes was just such a person. And she happened to have ovarian cancer."

Liz Karnes, who spent 12 years battling ovarian cancer, was much loved and admired for the love and generosity she extended to many others. When Liz lost her life to ovarian cancer in 1993, the Karnes family wanted to continue her legacy of compassionate giving and established Liz's Legacy, as an outreach and cancer awareness charitable program.

According to her family, "Her strength, courage and positive attitude had made Liz a role model for many cancer patients and their families, and everyone close to her agreed the most fitting way to honor her memory was to carry on the work she so deeply believed in." Even though Liz was facing her own cancer struggles, she took time to stop in and visit with newly-diagnosed cancer patients to offer them hope by showing them they could live with cancer.

According to Liz's husband, former Nebraska Senator Dave Karnes, making people aware of cancer risks, educating them on the importance of healthy lifestyles and preventive measures, and ensuring caring treatment are top priorities for Liz's Legacy. At the beautifully designed Liz's Legacy website, you can find comprehensive information and resources on Coping with Cancer, Cancer Information and Support Services.