Chula Vista

Chula Vista Mayor-elect Gayle McCandliss said Friday that she will take the oath of office Tuesday night despite suffering from a liver illness that has forced her to undergo chemotherapy.

McCandliss, who formerly served as a councilwoman, said she went public with her illness to dispel “a lot of questions and suppositions about my health.” She said a cancerous tumor was removed from her colon July 31, and cells from the tumor had traveled to the liver.

However, McCandliss denied rumors that she is suffering from cancer of the liver.

“It is not liver cancer,” she said. “I (am) feeling well. My liver functions are normal. I am feeling good. . . . The cells traveled to a secondary site, that’s all.”

She acknowledged that the last few months have been a “difficult battle,” but expressed optimism that she will be able to handle all mayoral duties.

McCandliss will replace Mayor Greg Cox, who is stepping down after nine years as Chula Vista’s first full-time mayor.