Christopher Hitchens Has Cancer

It's esophageal cancer.   Hotair hunted down the info in the Merek handbook, and it shows survival rates don't look so hot:

Because esophageal cancer usually is not diagnosed until the disease has spread, the death rate is high. Fewer than 5% of people survive more than 5 years. Many die within a year of noticing the first symptoms. Because nearly all cases of esophageal cancer are fatal, the doctor’s main objective is to control symptoms, especially pain and the inability to swallow, which can be very frightening to the person and loved ones (see Death and Dying: Difficulty Swallowing).

Truly saddening news. Hitchens has a towering intellect, and personality to match.  I thoroughly enjoying reading his articles and watching his debates.  I sincerely hope he beats the odds. Here's a CNN video from last year where he displays his characteristic flair, where he defends free speech during the Danish Mohammad cartoon controversy.