Jackson Lee, Veteran Democrat in Congress, Says She Has Pancreatic Cancer

Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, Democrat of Texas, said on Sunday that she has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer but plans to continue her work in Congress as she undergoes treatment.

Ms. Jackson Lee, who at 74 has served nearly three decades in the House, said in a statement that she was undergoing a treatment plan mapped out by her team of doctors. She added that “the road ahead will not be easy” and would likely lead to occasional absences.

The announcement comes as attendance in the House of Representatives has received more attention than previous years because of the historically slim majority Republicans hold over Democrats: They now hold 217 seats to Democrats’ 213. Both parties have stressed the importance of full attendance to do their best to drive their legislative agendas.

In February, a Republican attempt to impeach Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary, was defeated by a single vote when Representative Al Green, Democrat of Texas, surprised his colleagues with a dramatic arrival on the House floor in a hospital gown to cast the critical vote. The impeachment charges later passed by a single vote when another ailing member, Representative Steve Scalise, Republican of Louisiana and the House majority leader, returned to Washington after receiving treatment for blood cancer.

Though pancreatic cancer is considered relatively rare, it has recently gained renewed attention after several high-profile people have been diagnosed and succumbed to the disease. They include Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; Representative John Lewis, the Georgia Democrat and civil rights leader; the “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek; and the Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.

Treatment options for the disease can vary, and include