Report: Apple Chief Had Liver Transplant

Apple CEO Steve Jobs reportedly had a liver transplant two months ago. Jobs is set to return to Apple at the end of this month, following a six month leave of absence to treat an undisclosed medical condition.

In the new year, the Apple Chief sent out a letter explaining why he had been looking so poorly for the last year. Jobs said he was suffering from a hormone imbalance that was robbing his body of proteins. At the time, he said that the remedy to this health issue was “relatively simple and straight forward,” and that he would continue his duties at Apple.

One week later, Steve sent out a second letter stating that his health problems were a lot more complex than he originally thought and that he would be taking six months off work to focus on getting well. Since then, nothing has been said about Steve Jobs health issues, though rumors say he has continued to play an active role at Apple, despite his absence.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Steve Jobs received a liver transplant in Tennessee about two months ago, adding that he is recovering well and is expected to return to work on schedule, though he may work part-time initially. When contacted for comment, Jobs didn't respond, however, Apple spokeswoman Katie Cotton told the WSJ, "Steve continues to look forward to returning at the end of June, and there's nothing further to say."

According to doctors contacted by Bloomberg, the type of cancer Jobs had in 2004 is treatable with a liver transplant. “These tumors often metastasize just to the liver,” said Abhinav Humar, clinical director of the Division of Transplantation at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “It’s the most common place where they metastasize, and for that reason it’s one of the rare pancreatic cancers that you can treat with a liver transplant,” he added.