The McCain family announced on Friday that Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) has decided to "discontinue medical treatment" after surpassing expectations for his survival following a diagnosis of glioblastoma, a type of brain tumor.
"John has surpassed expectations for his survival. But the progress of disease and the inexorable advance of age render their verdict. With his usual strength of will, he has now chosen to discontinue medical treatment," the statement read.
McCain announced last July that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer following a surgery to address a blood clot. The clinic said, "subsequent tissue pathology revealed that a primary brain tumor known as a glioblastoma was associated with the blood clot."
Since the diagnosis, McCain has spent a majority of his time back home in Arizona going through multiple treatments, including chemotherapy.
"Our family is immensely grateful for the support and kindness of all his caregivers over the last year, and for the continuing outpouring of concern and affection from John’s many friends and associates, and the many thousands of people who are keeping him in their prayers. God bless and thank you all," the family said.
"I love my husband with all of my heart. God bless everyone who has cared for my husband along this journey," McCain's wife, Cindy, tweeted.
I love my husband with all of my heart. God bless everyone who has cared for my husband along this journey. pic.twitter.com/v27sEbboii
— Cindy McCain (@cindymccain) August 24, 2018
McCain is not the first politician to be impacted by this aggressive form of brain tumor. Former Sen. Ted Kennedy (D., Mass.) and former Vice President Joe Biden's son, Beau, were both diagnosed with glioblastoma. Kennedy lived a little over a year after his diagnosis and Biden lived nearly two years after his.