Boston: Senator Edward Kennedy, who has brain cancer, was taken by ambulance to a hospital Friday near his Massachusetts vacation home after complaining of feeling ill but returned home a few hours later.

A statement issued by the 76-year-old senator's office attributed the episode to a change in medications. Senator John Kerry said his fellow Massachusetts Democrat was well and planned to watch the evening's presidential debate between John McCain and Barack Obama.

An emergency telephone call from the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port on Cape Cod came around 5pm, said Barnstable police Sergeant Ben Baxter. Kennedy was taken to Cape Cod Hospital and was "alert and responsive" during the trip, Baxter said.

Kennedy's office confirmed he returned home about 8pm.


The senator had a seizure in May and underwent surgery in June for a malignant brain tumour. After undergoing six weeks of chemotherapy and radiation treatment, he has been steadily increasing his public activity.