McCain. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty

Appearing on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday morning, Arizona senator John McCain told Jake Tapper that he was battling a “very virulent form” of cancer, striking a philosophical tone on his own mortality.

“Every life has to end one way or another,” McCain said, invoking a playful quote from the playwright William Saroyan on the subject: “Everybody has to die, but I always believed an exception would be made in my case.”

"So far all indications are very good," says John McCain of his ongoing cancer treatment https://t.co/bmKXUXb4fs — CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) September 10, 2017

McCain said he would undergo an MRI on Monday, and that new technology bettered his prognosis, but that he didn’t want to paint a “rosy picture” of the outlook.

Tapper said he hoped this wouldn’t be his last interview with McCain, and asked, “How do you want the American people to remember you?”

“He served his country,” McCain replied. “And not always right. Made a lot of mistakes. Made a lot of errors. But served his country, and I hope we could add ‘honorably.’”

The Arizona senator was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor known as glioblastoma in July. A week later, he traveled to Washington to cast the dramatic, deciding vote that prevented Republicans from moving forward in their quest to repeal Obamacare.