Rob Ford’s future in the mayoral race is again in question after he was admitted to hospital with an abdominal tumour on Wednesday.

“Examination and investigation today reveal that he has a tumour,” said Humber River Hospital’s president and CEO Dr. Rueben Devlin.

Doctors are still looking for a definitive diagnosis, Devlin said. It is not yet known what kind of tumour Ford has.

A CT scan revealed it is in his abdomen, but a biopsy is still needed to determine the type of tumour — which Devlin said is “not small” — and whether it is malignant. Ford went to the hospital’s Church St. site in North York under his own power before being admitted.

It is not clear how long he will remain there. Devlin said he hopes their examinations will be done by the week’s end.

Ford was complaining of “left, lower quadrant abdominal pain” for three months before the pain became “unbearable” Wednesday morning, Devlin said.

Ford’s brother and campaign manager, Councillor Doug Ford, refused to speak about the state of the campaign — saying he would speak on that Thursday. He did not answer when asked if he would consider taking his brother’s place in the race.

“I have no comment,” said a subdued Doug Ford in a small meeting room at the hospital in front of a crowd of reporters. “He’s in good spirits.”

The deadline for the mayor to withdraw from the mayoral ballot, or for his brother or anyone else to join it, is Friday at 2 p.m. In the past, the Fords have privately mused about Doug Ford taking Rob Ford’s place on the ballot if the mayor could not run. Doug Ford’s poll numbers have historically been lower than his brother’s.

“I wish him well,” mayoral race frontrunner John Tory said Thursday morning. “I hope he gets good test results (and) a clean bill of health and is back with us.”

The Ford brothers were eating breakfast together Wednesday morning at Perkins restaurant in Etobicoke when the mayor complained about stomach pains, said Doug, the elder Ford.

At the hospital, several security guards blocked access to hallways and were being instructed not to allow anyone upstairs.

The mayor, who recently attended rehab for drug and alcohol abuse, has a history of medical issues. In 2012, Ford spent two days in Humber River Hospital with what he described as a “little throat infection” that triggered his asthma.

The year before, Ford received treatment for kidney stones at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

While in hospital during that episode, he waived patient confidentiality rules and allowed Sunnybrook’s Dr. Mike Feldman to discuss his condition with reporters.

In 2009, while Ford was still a city councillor, doctors removed a tumour from his appendix, an experience he described as one of his toughest moments in an interview with CTV. Devlin could not comment on whether there was any connection between the two tumours.

Ford’s father Doug Ford Sr., a one-time Progressive Conservative MPP and businessman whom his sons revered, was diagnosed with colon cancer on Canada Day, 2006, and died on Sept. 22 of that year.

Olivia Chow held an impromptu press conference in her living room to address the health of her campaign rival. Chow’s late husband, former leader of the federal NDP Jack Layton, died of cancer in 2011.

“My thoughts and prayers are with Rob and his entire family, just wishing him lots of strength,” she said. I know he’s a strong-minded person, he’s young and I just wish him a speedy recovery.”

“Come out strong,” Chow added. “We’re ready for you to come back.”

John Tory, the frontrunner to replace Ford in the Oct. 27 vote, released a statement in response to the news. “My thoughts are with Mayor Ford, Renata, their children and the entire Ford family this evening,” it reads. “While you may see us debating, we are also human beings. Rob Ford is a husband, father, son and brother and I want to see him back in good health as soon as possible and back where he would want to be — with us at the debating tables talking about the city we all love.”

Messages of support for the mayor also began streaming in via social media Wednesday night.

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Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly took to Twitter: “This evening I would like to wish Mayor Ford well and that he has a quick and healthy recovery in the days ahead.”

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