Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), who is battling brain cancer, is not expected to return to the Senate next week, spokesman Anthony Coley said Thursday.

“Sen. Kennedy is doing well and even manages to get in a few sails between his work on health reform and his treatments,— Coley said.

Kennedy, 77, who was diagnosed with brain cancer in May 2008, has spent much of the past year outside the Beltway receiving treatment. In Kennedy’s absence, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) has led the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee work on a massive health care reform bill that will continue to be marked up next week.