Jimmy Carter’s cancer: President Obama says former US President is 'as resilient as they come'

Former US President Jimmy Carter has revealed that he has cancer. He underwent surgery which removed a small mass in his liver earlier in August.

According to the 90-year-old former U.S. president, cancer has spread to other parts of his body as well. He added that more information would probably be available in the coming week.

Dr. Len Lichtenfeld said a lot of information about the disease was still unknown. The deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society said that the first task would be to determine where it had originated.

At times, it is not possible to determine that primary site, and a genetic analysis of the tumor is required, he added. Lichtenfeld said, due to Carter’s age, it would be important to discuss every treatment, their potential and impact with him and his family.

Dr. Lodovico Balducci said that age was not a factor in treating cancer successfully. "A man 90 years old normally would have a life expectancy of two or three years, but Jimmy Carter is probably much younger than that," Newsday quoted the specialist on treating cancer in the elderly at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, "If he tolerated liver surgery, I imagine he has a relatively good tolerance."

Carter’s statement was released by the Carter Center in Atlanta. He said in the statement that he would rearrange his schedule as required so that he could undergo treatment by physicians at Emory Healthcare.

U.S. President Barack Obama released a statement on Wednesday to wish Carter “a full and fast recovery.” He called Carter “as resilient as they come,” and added that the White House as well as the rest of America was rooting for their former president, the BBC reported. According to the White House, Obama had a telephonic conversation with Carter on Wednesday.

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