Washington DC, July 19 (EFE).- The United States Senator and former Republican presidential candidate John McCain was diagnosed with a brain tumor, his office said Wednesday.
On July 14, the 80-year-old senator underwent an operation at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix to remove a blood clot from above his left eye, which has been known to be associated with a primary brain tumor.
“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,” the Mayo Clinic said in a joint statement with the senator’s office.
“The senator’s doctors say that he is recovering from his surgery ‘amazingly well’ and that his underlying health is excellent,” the note added.
McCain’s office added: “(McCain) is grateful to the doctors and staff at Mayo Clinic for their outstanding care, and is confident that any future treatment will be effective. Further consultations with Senator McCain’s Mayo Clinic care team will indicate when he will return to the United States Senate.”
Although the severity of the senator’s health condition was unknown until today, his recent surgery forced Republicans to postpone voting on the new health bill, scheduled this week in the senate.
McCain fought in the Vietnam War and was imprisoned in the southeast Asian country for more than five years.
He has served as senator for Arizona since 1987 and lost the presidential elections against Barack Obama in 2008.