LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley was hospitalized Tuesday after doctors discovered and removed a cancerous growth in his large intestine.

After a routine medical screening, church officials said the 95-year-old President Hinckley was admitted to LDS Hospital Tuesday afternoon, where he underwent a successful laparoscopic surgery to remove the diseased portion of his intestine.

"It is anticipated that President Hinckley will recover rapidly and resume his normal duties as the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," church spokesman Dale Bills said in a statement Tuesday night.

No other details were given regarding his condition. In the meantime, his counselors, President Thomas S. Monson and President James E. Faust, will handle the work, as is routine, said church spokeswoman Kim Farah.

President Hinckley has previously told media representatives he has only spent one day of his life in a hospital. Under doctor's orders, President Hinckley walks with a cane. However, in most instances, he is not seen using it for support but instead to wave at the crowd.

Last year, it was learned the president of the 12 million-member church had developed adult-onset diabetes. When asked what kind of birthday cake he would have to celebrate his 95th birthday, he replied by saying that with his diabetic condition, he wouldn't be consuming many sweets. He often talks of how blessed he feels for being able to maintain such a healthy life and mind.

A third-generation member of the LDS church, President Hinckley has worked for the church for 70 years. He is its most-traveled president and remains active in church affairs despite his age.

Before his birthday celebration last summer, he said, "It's work that keeps you alive. . . . The secret at this age is to keep busy. Work, work, work is the best antidote for loneliness, incapacity or any other thing that happens to impede your progress."

The church has gained more than 3 million members — and organized 4,000 new wards and 500 new stakes — during President Hinckley's 10 years as president. He has participated in the building and dedication of dozens of new LDS temples across the globe, more than doubling the number existing before he was sustained as the church's president.

His wife, Marjorie Pay Hinckley, died in April 2004. They were married for 67 years.

President Hinckley, who has shown no visible signs of declining health, completed a worldwide tour in 13 days last fall, traveling to 10 cities. His next scheduled international stop is to be a rededication ceremony at the Santiago Chile Temple on Feb. 25-26. So far, plans for that excursion have not been altered.

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