United States senator John McCain has brain cancer and is reviewing treatment options that may include a combination of chemotherapy and radiation, his office has announced.

The six-term Republican senator and former presidential nominee, who is 80, has been recovering at home in Arizona since undergoing a procedure to remove a blood clot from above his left eye.

Tissue analysis since that procedure revealed that a primary brain tumour known as a glioblastoma was associated with the clot, his office said.

Glioblastoma is the most aggressive cancer that forms within the brain.

What is glioblastoma? The most common and most aggressive type of tumour that begins in the brain

The most common and most aggressive type of tumour that begins in the brain Usually malignant, which means tumours are invasive and grow quickly

Usually malignant, which means tumours are invasive and grow quickly Symptoms can include headache, vomiting and drowsiness, developing into weakness on one side of the body, memory and speech difficulties, and vision changes as the tumour grows

Symptoms can include headache, vomiting and drowsiness, developing into weakness on one side of the body, memory and speech difficulties, and vision changes as the tumour grows Treatment usually involves surgical removal of as much of the tumour as possible, followed by radiation and chemotherapy

Treatment usually involves surgical removal of as much of the tumour as possible, followed by radiation and chemotherapy Median survival time of people who have maximum treatment is 15 months Sources: Journal of Neuro-Oncology and American Brain Tumor Association

"The Senator and his family are reviewing further treatment options with his Mayo Clinic care team," the Mayo Clinic of Phoenix said in a written statement.

"Treatment options may include a combination of chemotherapy and radiation."

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Doctors said Senator McCain was recovering from his surgery "amazingly well" and his underlying health was excellent, according to the statement.

About 20,000 people in the US each year are diagnosed with a glioblastoma, a particularly aggressive type of brain tumour.

The American Cancer Society puts the five-year survival rate for patients over 55 at about 4 per cent.

In a statement on Twitter, his daughter, Meghan McCain, said: "My love for my father is boundless and like any daughter I cannot and do not wish to be in a world without him. I have faith that those days remain far away."

"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."

US President Donald Trump said in a statement that Senator McCain "has always been a fighter".

Mr Trump said he and Melania Trump "send our thoughts and prayers to Senator McCain, Cindy, and their entire family. Get well soon".

Support pours in for McCain

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he looked forward to having Senator McCain, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, back in Washington soon.

"John McCain is a hero to our conference and a hero to our country," Senator McConnell said in a statement.

"He has never shied from a fight and I know that he will face this challenge with the same extraordinary courage that has characterised his life.

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"The entire Senate family's prayers are with John, Cindy and his family, his staff, and the people of Arizona he represents so well."

Senator McCain was already a cancer survivor, having had non-invasive melanomas removed at least three times.

He was the Republican party's presidential nominee in 2008, when he and running mate Sarah Palin lost to Barack Obama.

The 80-year-old appeared on the ABC's 7.30 program recently, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin was a bigger threat to world security than the Islamic State group.

Senator McCain was elected to the Senate from Arizona six times, but twice thwarted in seeking the presidency.

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An upstart presidential bid in 2000 did not last long.

Eight years later, he fought back from the brink of defeat to win the GOP nomination, only to be overpowered by Mr Obama.

Senator McCain stuck by the party's 2016 presidential nominee, Donald Trump, at times seemingly through gritted teeth — until the release a month before the election of a lewd audio in which Mr Trump said he could kiss and grab women.

Declaring that the breaking point, Senator McCain withdrew his support and said he would write in "some good conservative Republican who's qualified to be president".



Sorry, this video has expired John McCain says Vladimir Putin is a bigger threat to world security than Islamic State.

Reuters