In an emotional moment, former Vice President Joe Biden has reassured Meghan McCain about her father, John McCain's cancer diagnosis - and praised his close bond with the long-serving senator.

Arizona Republican Mr McCain revealed earlier this year that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer, prompting an outpouring of support for the former Republican presidential nominee.

Mr Biden is familiar with family tragedy, having lost his wife and daughter in a 1972 car crash, while his son Beau died of brain cancer in 2015.

In an appearance on The View, Ms McCain dissolved into tears as she noted her father had been diagnosed with the same cancer as Beau Biden. Telling Mr Biden that “you and your family have been through tragedy that I couldn’t conceive of,” she asked the former Vice President’s advice for coping.

Walking around the interview table to sit closer to Ms McCain and take her hand, Mr Biden told her that her father had helped take care of Beau in his time of need. As Ms McCain nodded, he heralded medical advances that offer hope and then detailed his sense of closeness to her father.

“There’s breakthroughs that are occurring now,” Mr Biden said. “So there’s hope,” he continued, and “if anybody could make it [it’s] your dad”.

Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years Show all 15 1 /15 Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years Joe Biden and Dr Jill Biden watch Barack Obama's farewell speech on 11 January. Obama called Biden his 'brother' Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years US President Barack Obama speaks alongside US Vice President Joe Biden about the Affordable Care Act AFP/Getty Images Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years Vice President Joe Biden and President Barack Obama Getty Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years President Obama listens to Joe Biden speak of his work on defeating cancer on 18 October in the White House Reuters Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years U.S. President Barack Obama is applauded by House Speaker Paul Ryan and Vice President Joe Biden while delivering his final State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in Washington Reuters Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years U.S. Vice President Joe Biden interjects as President Barack Obama delivers remarks at a reception for the 25th anniversary of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics at the White House in Washington REUTERS Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years Obama and Vice President Joe Biden react after a heckler was removed for their extended interruption (Reuters) Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years U.S. President Barack Obama shakes hands with Speaker of the House John Boehner (R) as Vice President Joe Biden looks on Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years Barack and Michelle Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden observing a moment of silence outside the White House to mark the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks Getty Images Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years Barack Obama and Joe Biden putt on the White House putting green Getty Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years President Barack Obama and Joe Biden in April 2013 AFP/Getty Images Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years January 1, 2013: U.S. President Barack Obama winks as he arrives with Vice President Joe Biden (L) in the briefing room Reuters Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and others receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in the Situation Room of the White House May 1, 2011 in Washington, DC Getty Images Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years Vice-President Joe Biden, right, confirmed that the US was looking at ways of taking legal action against Julian Assange - back in December 2010 GETTY IMAGES Joe Biden and Barack Obama through the years Joe Biden, left, and retired military officers watch President Barack Obama sign orders to close down the detention centre at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in January 2009 GETTY IMAGES

Despite their political disagreements, Mr Biden said: “I know if I picked up the phone tonight and called John McCain and said ‘John I’m at 2nd and Vine in Oshkosh and I need your help, come,’ he’d get on a plane and come. And I would for him, too”.

Ms McCain expressed her gratitude after the show, calling Mr Biden an "inspiration".

It wasn’t the first moving show of solidarity from the Obama administration. After Mr McCain’s diagnosis, Barack Obama praised his former presidential rival’s tenacity with a tweet that ended up being one of the top-three most liked of 2017.

“Cancer doesn't know what it's up against. Give it hell, John,” Mr Obama wrote.