Sen. John McCain and his family are considering options for treating the tumor, including radiation and chemotherapy. McCain diagnosed with brain tumor McCain and his family are considering options for treating the tumor, including radiation and chemotherapy.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has been diagnosed with a brain tumor following an operation to remove a blood clot above his left eye.

McCain and his family are considering options for treating the tumor, including radiation and chemotherapy. The 80-year-old McCain has previously successfully been treated for skin cancer.


“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," said a statement from the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix. “The Senator’s doctors say he is recovering from his surgery ‘amazingly well’ and his underlying health is excellent.”

A statement from McCain's office said the veteran lawmaker 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."

According to the statement from the Mayo Clinic, McCain has a type of brain tumor called a glioblastoma. The American Brain Tumor Association says such tumors are "usually highly malignant," spread rapidly and are difficult to treat.

There is no word on if, or when, McCain will return to the Senate. His absence from Capitol Hill — while less important than McCain's health — does leave Republicans short a reliable vote as they try to take on health care and other contentious issues.

McCain currently serves as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) has been serving as chairman in McCain's absence.

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The news shocked senators in both parties. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) — McCain's closest friend in the Senate — came into meeting of Republicans senators on health care to tell them he had spoken to McCain and was told of the grim diagnosis. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) then led them in prayer for McCain's recovery.

"Talked to John, he said ‘Yeah, I might have to stay here a little bit longer, take some treatments. And I’ll be back,'" a visibly upset Graham told reporters on Wednesday night.

"And we talked for about five minutes, you know, gonna to be a tough way forward. But he says ‘I’ve been through worse’ and basically then we started talking about health care and the [defense authorization bill]. Literally, it went five minutes until he turned away from what I think most people would have a hard time absorbing and focused on what he loves the best."

"God knows how this ends, not me," Graham added. "But I do know this. This disease has never had a more worthy opponent.”

"We've already heard from him and he wants to get back. He's always thinking about the Senate and getting things done," said Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.). "We prayed. It was very emotional. Almost kind of stunned disbelief for a minute."

McCain called Sen. Jeff Flake, his fellow Arizona Republican, to tell him the news as well, Flake said on Twitter. "Tough diagnosis, but an even tougher man."

A wave of lawmakers in both parties offered their support and prayers for their longtime colleague in an outpouring of support that demonstrated the deep respect McCain has earned up during 34 serving in Congress.

President Donald Trump said 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."

Former President Barack Obama — who defeated McCain in the 2008 presidential race — said McCain "is an American hero & one of the bravest fighters I've every known. Cancer doesn't know what it's up against. Give it hell, John."

Hillary Clinton, who forged an unlikely but genuine friendship with McCain during their eight years together in the Senate, said McCain "is as tough as they come. Think of John, Cindy, their wonderful children and their whole family tonight."

But the most poignant comments came from Meghan McCain, the senator's daughter. The younger McCain released an emotional statement of her own.

"The news of my father's illness has affected every one of us in the McCain family. My grandmother, mother, brother, sisters, and I have all endured the shock of the news, and now we live with the anxiety about what comes next. It is an experience familiar to us given my father's previous battle with cancer — and it is familiar to the countless Americans whose loved ones are also stricken with the tragedy of disease and the inevitability of age."

The younger McCain described her father — a Navy pilot, Vietnam war hero, 2008 GOP presidential candidate — "as the one of us who is most confident and calm. He is the toughest person that I know ... Cancer may afflict him in many ways, but it will not make him surrender. Nothing ever has."

Burgess Everett and Seung Min Kim contributed to this report.

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