Senate Assistant Minority Whip Ed Mayne, D-West Valley, has been diagnosed with lung cancer.

The cancer was discovered during a CT scan of his lungs that was done two weeks ago because of pneumonialike symptoms. The cancer is in his right lung; it was picked up early enough to be treatable.

Mayne, a labor leader who was elected to the Senate in 1994, said that he will undergo "very aggressive" chemotherapy over the next three to four months. After that, doctors are "optimistic" that the cancer will be in remission.

"This thing happened so quickly. Two weeks ago, I was being treated for pneumonia, then it became cancer," he said. "Luckily, they discovered it early, and we have a good medical team. We feel good that we caught this early and will be able to beat it."

The diagnosis has changed "my whole perspective on early detection," he said, and he plans to work hard during the next legislative session to bring attention to the necessity for testing. Among other things, he said that could include a shaving of his head by fellow senators.

Something that will not change is his approach to working in the Legislature in a way that is not necessarily good news for the Republicans in the Senate.

"I'm not going to miss a beat," he said. "I'm going to be a lot more aggressive, if that can be done."

Senate Minority Leader Mike Dmitrich, D-Price, who had a cancerous tumor removed from his lungs two years ago, said that he was glad to hear that the cancer was detected early enough to be treated.

"It's always scary when you hear the 'c' word," Dmitrich said. "He's a real statesman, and I'm sure he'll be really aggressive on cancer diagnosis, cancer treatment and all of that. I hope he recovers fully, because he's a stalwart."

Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, said that while it's never good news to hear about a colleague suffering, he was glad to hear that Mayne would recover and, for better or worse, be the same senator they always have known.

"We are sad to hear about one of the great statesmen of the Senate fighting with the disease of cancer," Valentine said. "But we're anticipating that he will make a full recovery, and then be back to his old irascible self."

Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble, R-Provo, said that when anything strikes a member of the "Senate fraternity," partisan debates and political disputes are irrelevant. Instead, the prayers are universal and their fellow member's health is paramount.

"We can debate issues, but when it comes down to it, we are all brothers and sisters," he said.

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E-mail: jloftin@desnews.com