John McCain has been diagnosed with brain cancer, according to a statement released by the Mayo Clinic on behalf of the Republican senator and his family on Wednesday.
The hospital said in its statement that the 80-year-old Arizona senator underwent surgery to have a blood clot removed from above his left eye on Friday and that, “subsequent tissue pathology revealed that a primary brain tumor known as a glioblastoma was associated with the blood clot.” McCain’s doctors say that, “he is recovering from his surgery ‘amazingly well,’ and his underlying health is excellent.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell also released a statement saying, “John McCain is hero to our Conference and a hero to our country. He never shied from a fight and I know that he will face this challenge with the same extraordinary courage that has characterized his life. The entire Senate family’s prayers are with John, Cindy and his family, his staff, and the people of Arizona he represents so well.”
McCain’s daughter, Meghan McCain, wrote in a Twitter post that, “the news of my father’s illness has affected every one of us in the McCain family. My grandmother, mother, brothers, sister and I have all endured the shock of the news, and now we live with the anxiety about what comes next.”
The clinic’s statement explains that McCain and his family are reviewing next-steps and possible further treatment options, which, “may include a combination of chemotherapy and radiation.” Further consultations with his doctors will determine whether McCain can return to his work in the Senate.