Chavez undergoes medical exams before tumor surgery

HAVANA - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Saturday received medical exams here to prepare for a tumor surgery in his pelvis, which may happen Monday or Tuesday, Cuban media said.

The surgery, to be conducted by a team of Cuban medical experts, would target a 2-centimeter lesion that was detected last weekend on the exact same spot where Chavez had a pelvic cancerous tumor removed in June, Cuban sources said earlier this week.

Chavez arrived here on Friday night, and was welcomed by Cuban President Raul Castro at the airport.

Ever since he was first diagnosed with cancer, Chavez has remained tight-lipped about what kind of cancer he suffers.

The 57-year-old president, who is seeking a third term in the October elections, has remained upbeat about his prospects of beating the cancer.

He received the first cancer surgery in Cuba in June and went through four rounds of chemo-therapy after that.