BOSTON -- Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry will have his prostate removed Wednesday after being diagnosed with "a very early, curable" form of cancer, his doctor said.

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"It may sound strange to some of you, but I feel very lucky. The reason I feel lucky is that I am going to be cured. I have early detection in the earliest stage that is possible to be detected," Kerry said late Tuesday.

The surgery will be performed at John Hopkins Hospital.

"Tomorrow morning, I am going to have surgery from a superb pioneering surgery who has broken through with what they call nerve-sparing surgery," Kerry said.

Doctors said that Kerry has a 95 percent chance of being cured as the cancer was caught very early and is very curable.

"Sen. Kerry is strong and fit, and in no time he will be able to return to the rigorous lifestyle he enjoys, with no impact on his long term health," Dr. Patrick Walsh, the doctor who will perform Kerry's surgery, said in a statement.

Kerry's diagnosis came following a biopsy performed at Massachusetts General Hospital.

"A routine blood test for PSA revealed an increase of .7 from his previous level. Although it was a normal test, there were two consecutive elevations in a two-year period of time that led me to request that he have further tests," Dr. Gerald Doyle said.

"The cancer appears to be very localized by all the tests that were done. The procedure of choice for Sen. Kerry has been to remove the prostate," Dr. Alex Altausen said.

Kerry's father died with prostate cancer, which explains why his doctors have been vigilant about watching the senator's levels of PSA.

"I think it's a great lesson fro men globally, but across our country. I have talked to others who have faced this choice. I am convinced that the choice I made is the right one for me based on my age, based on early detection and based on certainty of a cure. I hope that all men will recognize the importance of having that screening," Kerry said.

Recovery is expected to be quick because of Kerry's excellent health and the size of the tumor.

"It is so small because it was caught early that it only involves a small part of his prostate. So, when they remove that tomorrow, it should cure it," Doyle said.

The American Cancer Society said that about 220,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year. Fewer than 30,000 will die from it. It is the second-leading cancer killer in men.

The procedure should take about two to three hours. Kerry is expected to remain in the hospital for about three days.

"On Saturday, I hope to be back in Washington. By next week, I will be having meetings and be back on the telephone," Kerry said.