Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro undergoes surgery to remove tumors

Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas said Monday that he "successfully" underwent surgery to remove tumors discovered last summer in the lining of his gastrointestinal tract.

Castro, 48, said in a statement that he planned to remain at home recovering for "several weeks" before he returned to Washington.

“My prognosis is good,” Castro said after surgery at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston to remove gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors.

Castro, whose congressional district includes San Antonio, said doctors discovered the "small, slow-growing, and mostly asymptomatic tumors" in a series of tests over the summer.

According to the National Cancer Institute, the rare and slow-growing tumors typically form in the small intestine, the rectum and the appendix.

Castro, a six-term lawmaker, is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Intelligence Committee.

He is one of several lawmakers who have been sidelined in recent weeks for medical reasons.

Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., underwent surgery this month for prostate cancer; he tweeted Monday evening that he was "happy to be back in Washington."

Fellow Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center this month for clinical depression. He remains hospitalized.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com