ADELAIDE assistant Dean Bailey is keeping positive after being diagnosed with cancer.
The stage or severity of Bailey's cancer is unknown and Crows CEO Steven Trigg said the former Melbourne coach faced a "major challenge".
"He's got, typically ... an incredibly positive attitude. We know it's going to be a major challenge for him," Trigg told Adelaide radio station 5AA.
"He's out of hospital at the moment but does have more tests and is just trying to work out at the moment exactly what the treatment is going to be.
"Early indications are that it's possible to defeat this thing, or at least manage it, and that's Dean's position on it at the moment."
Trigg said the club's primary focus was to support Bailey and his family.
Bailey, the Crows' strategy and innovation coach, was admitted to hospital last week after suffering from a worsening cough and liquid was found in his left lung.
Trigg said Bailey's absence would be managed until the club had a clearer idea of his ability to return to work.
"It's a real challenge for Dean and for his family and our priority as a club is, first and foremost, to support Dean through it and to support his family.
"We'll be in a better position by Christmas to understand how that treatment's going, what the state of play is and what our response would be in an ongoing sense."
