Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has been hospitalized with a tentative diagnosis of a tumor after suffering months of abdominal pain.

Rob Ford told doctors at Humber River Hospital the pain had persisted for at least three months and had worsened in the past 24 hours, the hospital said.

The embattled mayor is standing for re-election on October 27 despite repeated calls for him to step down.

Last year, Rob Ford admitted to using crack cocaine in a “drunken stupor”.

Rob Ford returned to work earlier this year after about two months of treatment for drug and alcohol abuse, which he described as life-saving.

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has been hospitalized with a tentative diagnosis of a tumor after suffering months of abdominal pain

In a statement, Humber River Hospital said “examination and investigation has resulted in a working diagnosis of a tumor” for Rob Ford.

“The mayor has been admitted to allow for further investigation to obtain a definitive diagnosis.”

In a press conference on September 10, Dr. Rueben Devlin said Rob Ford came in when the pain “became unbearable for him”.

Dr. Rueben Devlin said doctors would need to determine the type of tumor by doing a biopsy. He did not say how long Rob Ford would be in hospital.

Councilor Doug Ford, the mayor’s brother and campaign manager, said his brother was in good spirits and they would not be making any comments about the status of his election campaign at the moment.

“I just wanted to thank the well-wishers for all of the calls,” Doug Ford said, asking the reporters assembled at the press conference to “leave us alone for a couple of days”.

Rob Ford was hospitalized in 2009 for a tumor on his appendix, the Toronto Sun reported.

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