Sen. Lindsey Graham updated reporters Wednesday evening on the status of his longtime friend in the upper chamber, Sen. John McCain, after it was revealed earlier in the night he has a brain tumor.

Graham, R-S.C., said he spoke with McCain, R-Ariz., whom he described as being resolute and eager to get back to work.

"I talked to John, and he said 'I'm gonna have to stay here a little bit longer, take some treatments, and I will be back,'" Graham said outside a closed-door meeting of Senate Republicans on healthcare reform.

Lindsey Graham responds to news of John McCain's brain cancer diagnosis.



"This disease has never had a more worthy opponent." pic.twitter.com/4S6cssfJCv — Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) July 20, 2017

McCain's office revealed late Wednesday the Arizona Republican senator was diagnosed with brain cancer. He was recently operated on to remove a blood clot from above his left eye.

Graham said that the two senators talked for only about five minutes about the diagnosis before turning to other matters such as healthcare reform.

"Literally, it went five minutes until he turned away from what I think most people have a hard time absorbing and focus on what he loves the best," he said.

Graham added that only "God knows how this ends."

"I do know this. This disease has never had a more worthy opponent," he said before walking away.