doc_text: Retired Sen. John Tower, the defense secretary-designate, underwent surgery Thursday to remove a colon polyp, a hospital spokesman said.
  "Senator Tower is resting comfortably and is listed in fair condition," hospital spokesman Steve Habgood said Thursday night.
  "The senator is expected to make a full recovery."
  Tower, 63, a U.S. senator from Texas for 24 years, was admitted to Baylor University Medical Center on Wednesday after undergoing a colonscopy examination last week that revealed the polyp, Habgood said.
  A preliminary biopsy of the polyp showed it was benign, Habgood said, but further results would be announced Friday by Tower's surgeon, Dr. R.D. Dignan, of Dallas.
  Thursday's surgery took approximately three hours, Habgood said.
  When Tower underwent the colonscopy examination, a rectal polyp also was discovered and removed.
  Tests of that growth showed it to contain some "malignant but well differentiated cells," Habgood said.
  Further explanation of the first polyp removal would have to come from Tower's surgeon, who was unavailable for comment Thursday night, the spokesman said.
  After leaving the Senate in 1985, Tower went into business as a defense consultant.
  He also served as an arms negotiator for President Reagan and he headed the White House's Iran-Contra investigative panel.
  President-elect Bush designated Tower as his defense secretary on Dec. 16.
  The nomination is subject to Senate approval.
summary_text: Former Senator John Tower, the defense secretary-designate had surgery for removal of a colon polyp.
  Preliminary biopsy showed the polyp to be benign.
  Tests of the growth showed it to contain some "malignant but well differentiated cells".
  The ex-senator is expected to make a full recovery.
  Tower went into business as a defense consultant after he left the Senate in 1985, having served there for 24 years.
  He has also served as an arms negotiator for President Reagan and he headed the White House's Iran-contra investigative panel.
  President-elect Bush named Tower as his defense secretary on December 16th.