John McCain is looking forward to returning to work 'as soon as possible' as he undergoes treatment for an aggressive form of brain cancer

  • Arizona senator, 81, was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme in the summer
  • Therapy thought to be having positive effect on symptoms of underlying cancer
  • Resting at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington after suffering side-effects

John McCain, 81, was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme in the summer and is currently 'resting' at the Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington

John McCain, 81, was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme in the summer and is currently 'resting' at the Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington

John McCain wants to return to work as 'soon as possible' as he continues undergoing treatment for an aggressive form of brain cancer, according to a friend. 

The Arizona senator, 81, was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme in the summer and is currently 'resting' at the Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington after suffering the normal side-effects of the therapy.

The treatment is thought to be having a positive effect on the symptoms of the underlying cancer.  

Senator Lindsey Graham, of South Carolina, told ABC News: 'He's receiving treatment for the side effects of the therapy.

'I feel pretty good about the way the treatment is affecting his underlying cancer. But the treatment has a downside. 

'I'm very confident he'll come back and continue to participate for a long time to come.'    

In September, the Republican senator spoke candidly about the grim diagnosis following a routine doctor's appointment.

McCain said he was leaving the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix after a routine checkup when he got an urgent call from his doctor.

The treatment is thought to be having a positive effect on the symptoms of the underlying cancer, according to a friend of the senator, pictured with daughter Meghan

The treatment is thought to be having a positive effect on the symptoms of the underlying cancer, according to a friend of the senator, pictured

'You've got to come back,' he recalled the doctor saying.

'Hey, today is Friday. I'll just come in on Monday.' McCain replied.

But the doctor persisted, telling him: 'No, you have to come now. It's very serious.' The doctors had discovered a blood clot above McCain's left eye. 'They thought it was serious enough that they had to act immediately,' he said.

Before the operation to remove the clot, the doctors mentioned glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.

But McCain said that the doctors hedged, trying to downplay concerns until tests confirmed the diagnosis.

'Tell it to me straight... I said, 'I can take it. Just tell me.' And - and then they were more forthcoming,' McCain said.

Lab tests confirmed the diagnosis days later.

Part of the Walter Reed Medical Center, which cares for recovering soldiers, pictured on March 15, 2007

Part of the Walter Reed Medical Center, which cares for recovering soldiers, pictured on March 15, 2007

'They said that the prognosis is very, very serious. Some say 3 per cent, some say 14 per cent. You know, it's - it's a very poor prognosis,' recalled McCain.

The cancer that McCain is suffering from is the same type of cancer that took the life of his former Senate colleague Edward M. Kennedy in 2009.

He told CBS' 60 Minutes that he thinks about Kennedy a lot. McCain said Kennedy continued to work despite the diagnosis and 'never gave up because he loved the engagement'.

McCain said he has 'feelings sometimes of fear of what happens,' but counters that with gratitude for having lived 'had a great life'.   

What is glioblastoma multiforme?

Glioblastoma is the most aggressive tumor that can form in the brain. Patients have a 10 percent chance of surviving five years after their diagnosis.

It is made up of a mass of cells growing in the brain, and in most cases patients have no family history of the disease, according to the American Cancer Society.

The tumor won't spread to other organs, however, once it is diagnosed, Dr Cisse explained that it is nearly impossible to target.

Unlike other types of brain cancer which are more specifically located, glioblastoma can occur in any part of the brain.

'By the time a glioblastoma is diagnosed, microfibers can spread to the rest of the brain which an MRI would not spot,' he explained. 'So even if the main tumor is removed and the patient receives radiation and chemotherapy, it will come back.'

Because the tumor likely already spread deep into the brain by the time it is diagnosed, the cancerous tissue is incredibly difficult to remove.

Dr Cisse said a surgeon will only even remove the tumor, or part of the tumor, if it won't do any damage to the surrounding brain tissue.

It is most commonly found in men aged 50 to 60, and there is no link between developing glioblastoma and having a previous history with other types of cancer.

We cannot know if Senator McCain's five-and-a-half years of captivity in Vietnam during the war could have increased his risk of developing the tumor, Dr Cisse said.

Intense exposure to radiation is the only known risk factor for brain cancer. 

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