Leading Republican Steve Scalise back at work after blood cancer treatment

The Republican House majority leader, Steve Scalise, will return to work in Washington after receiving autologous stem cell treatment for multiple myeloma, a blood cancer.

Scalise announced he was diagnosed with the disease in August.

His cancer treatment represents the second serious health scare for the representative since he took office to represent Louisiana in 2008. In 2017, Scalise was one of four people shot during practice for a congressional baseball game.

“Leader Scalise has successfully completed his autologous stem cell treatment and has been medically cleared to resume travel,” a statement from Scalise’s office said on Thursday.

“He is in complete remission and will be returning to Washington next week for votes. He is thankful for his positive prognosis, and for the support of his medical team, family, colleagues and fellow Louisianans.”

Autologous stem cell treatment uses stem cells from a person’s own body to restore the body’s ability to create normal blood cells, and is often used in treatment for blood cancers such as myeloma, according to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Despite controversy tied to a past speech at a white supremacist conference (a speech he later called a “mistake”) and ties to racist leaders such as fellow Louisianan David Duke, a former

Ku Klux Klan leader, Scalise has risen through the Republican ranks.

After being shot, Scalise said the experience strengthened his support for gun rights and the second amendment. In part, he said, because he was “saved by people who had guns”. The gunman who shot Scalise during baseball practice was shot and killed by police.