ROCHESTER, Minn. (AP) - Former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman says all visible traces of cancer have been removed from his lung during a seven-hour surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

Coleman posted on his Facebook page that the cancer “was more invasive than seen in earlier scans.” Coleman praised his team of doctors who said the surgery was challenging because of scar tissue from earlier radiation.

Last August, Coleman learned that the throat and neck cancer he began battling in 2015 had spread to his lungs and was at the most advanced stage. Coleman underwent chemotherapy and intensive radiation and said the tumor was gone.

A follow-up scan recently showed the cancer had returned. In Monday’s surgery, doctors planned to remove about a quarter of his lung, cutting the organ’s capacity by 15% to 20%.

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