Local cancer doctor discusses next steps in President Carter’s fight

Carter, in a remarkably candid discussion with reporters, detailed the spread of melanoma cancer to his liver and brain, spoke of his legacy and regrets, and flashed his megawatt smile as he let loose a few quips. He announced August 12 that surgery found cancer that has spread to other parts of his body.

Carter also is being treated with targeted radiation therapy for his brain tumors, which aims precisely focused radiation beams at the tumor site and avoids radiation of the entire brain, which can damage healthy tissue, Black said. We are picking for the former president tonight.

The 39th president was in office from 1977 to 1981.

It was pure Jimmy Carter to wear jeans with his tie and sport coat for the press conference.

“This is a propitious time for us to follow through on our long-delayed plans”, he said.

But, first, we turn to former President Jimmy Carter’s cancer diagnosis.

He says Carter’s type of cancer is not curable though it’s treatable. “Now I feel it’s in the hands of God, and I’ll be prepared for anything that comes”. “We’re all pulling for you, Jimmy”, Obama tweeted.

Carter said he never considered not fighting the cancer because he has full faith in his doctors, and he chose to “hope for the best and accept what comes”.

Speaking yesterday he said he initially thought he had “just a few weeks left”, though felt “surprisingly at ease” he said. The Emory doctors are receiving advice from other experts at the National Cancer Institute and cancer centers such as Sloan Kettering in New York City and MD Anderson in Houston.

He said he found out about the melanoma after having surgery earlier this year to remove a tumor on his liver. His brother, father and two sisters all died of pancreatic cancer, and his mother had breast cancer that later moved to her pancreas.

“I wish I had sent more helicopters to rescue the hostages”, he said, referring to a failed military operation in 1980 to free 52 American hostages being held in Iran.

Raised on a peanut farm, he was a relative unknown as Georgia governor when he launched his campaign that unseated President Ford in the 1976 election.

When Carter learned he has cancer, “he was anxious that he wasn’t going to get to finish the book he was reading”, his grandson said.

“I’ll emphasize again, high blood pressure is not cured, and yet some of our friends live for decades with it. The goal is control and to have a good quality of life”. I think I appreciated that very much, and their wives were there on the telephone with them.

Brokering a peace deal between Israel and Egypt – the Camp David accords signed in 1978 – is now recognized as the zenith of his presidency and a major diplomatic triumph.

If I had to choose between four more years and the Carter Center, I would’ve chosen the Carter Center. On Thursday, he said he remains proud of what he accomplished as president, but more gratified by the humanitarian work he’s done since, which earned him a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.