Freshman Rep. Jim Marshall (D-Ga.), who has been eyeing a run for the Senate, underwent surgery for prostate cancer at Johns Hopkins Medical Center on Wednesday and is expected to make a full recovery, according to a top aide.

Chief of Staff John Kirincich deemed the surgery “perfectly successful” and said Marshall could return to Congress as early as next week. The Georgia Democrat is expected to leave the hospital Saturday, but will be on bed rest for an undetermined amount of time.

“How long it will be is a point of contention between Jim and his doctor,” Kirincich quipped.

Dr. Patrick Walsh, the hospital’s urologist in chief who performed the surgery, was very positive following the procedure.

“The operation could not have gone better,” Walsh said. “Everything looked contained, and Jim is doing extremely well.”

Marshall said in a statement that he is “grateful and lucky” that his cancer was found so early. [IMGCAP(1)]

“Because the cancer was identified, diagnosed and treated so quickly, I am expected to make a full recovery,” he said. “The message that I want to get across to people is get tested and get tested early. The earlier a cancer such as mine is discovered, the better your chance of recovery will be.”

As for whether the cancer surgery will impact Marshall’s consideration of a 2004 Senate bid, Kirincich insisted the two are unrelated.

“We have no news to make today,” he said. “He’s in the same posture he’s been in. There’s been no changes since he started looking at it.”

Marshall, 55, went into surgery at 2 p.m. at the same Baltimore hospital where presidential hopeful Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) underwent the procedure in February. Walsh performed Kerry’s operation as well.

Kerry, whose father died of prostate cancer, has continued his White House bid without pause.

Marshall’s cancer likely resulted from his exposure to Agent Orange while serving in the Vietnam War. The toxic defoliant is believed to be linked to prostate cancer.

Marshall also has had three melanomas removed from his back and calf, dating back to 1982.

The Georgia freshman has yet to announce whether he will run to succeed Democratic Sen. Zell Miller, who will not seek re-election to a second term. So far no Democrat has entered the race, which has already drawn three Republicans.

Democrats are also actively wooing former Sen. Max Cleland for the seat.