Washington, July 20 (PTI): US Senator John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee and the current chairman of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, has been diagnosed with an aggressive brain cancer, his office said.
The tumour was diagnosed after the 80-year-old veteran politician and prisoner of the Vietnam War underwent a surgery on July 14 to remove a blood clot from his left eye, said the Mayo Clinic, where the procedure was performed.
Tests revealed that a primary brain tumour - glioblastoma - was associated with the blood clot, it said in a statement yesterday.
Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain cancer and its prognosis is generally poor. Senator Edward M Kennedy survived less than 15 months after he was found to have the tumour in 2008.
"The senator and his family are reviewing further treatment options with his Mayo Clinic care team. Treatment options may include a combination of chemotherapy and radiation. The senator's doctors say he is recovering from his surgery 'amazingly well' and his underlying health is excellent," the hospital said in a statement.
In a statement, McCain appreciated the outpouring of support he has received over the past few days.
"He is in good spirits as he continues to recover at home with his family in Arizona. He is grateful to the doctors and staff at Mayo Clinic for their outstanding care, and is confident that any future treatment will be effective. Further consultations with Senator McCain's Mayo Clinic care team will indicate when he will return to the United States Senate," his office said.
US President Donald Trump has sent his thoughts and prayers to McCain and his entire family. "Senator John McCain has always been a fighter. Melania and I send our thoughts and prayers to Senator McCain, Cindy, and their entire family. Get well soon," he said.
House Speaker Paul Ryan said McCain has always been a warrior. "It's who he is. I know John is going to fight this with the same sheer force of will that has earned him the admiration of the nation. And all of us, not as Republicans or Democrats, but as Americans, are behind him. The prayers of the whole House are with Senator McCain and his family."
House Armed Service Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry said McCain is a patriot. "I know that the courage and the remarkable spirit and tenacity that has marked his life will guide him in the challenges ahead," he said.
The Indian Embassy in Washington DC wished McCain a "speedy recovery."
McCain, who was re-elected to his sixth term in the Senate in 2016, served as an aviator in the US Navy before entering politics. He spent five and a half years as a prisoner of the Vietnam war.
