WASHINGTON 鈥� On Thursday, former U.S. president Jimmy Carter that his melanoma has spread to his brain.
鈥淚鈥檓 ready for anything and looking forward to a new adventure,鈥� he said during a news conference.
Carter said he鈥檚 felt only slight pain so far, and hasn鈥檛 experienced any weakness or debility. However, he plans to cut back on his work with the Carter Center and will focus on treatment.
鈥淚鈥檝e had thousands of friends, I鈥檝e had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence,鈥� said Carter, 90. 鈥淪o I was surprisingly at ease, much more so than my wife was. But now I feel it鈥檚 in the hands of God who I worship and I鈥檒l be prepared for anything that comes.鈥�
Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer, but it鈥檚 curable if caught early enough, said Dr. David Agus, an oncologist and professor of medicine at the University of Southern California.
In an interview with 草莓传媒, Agus pointed to new medication that allows immune cells to eat cancerous cells. Forty to 50 percent of those who took the treatment 鈥渉ad dramatic responses that can last a year or two,鈥� he said.
鈥淚t was a death sentence, and now through progress and technology and drugs, it鈥檚 hopefully becoming more of a life sentence,鈥� Agus said.
Still, metastatic melanoma is serious and aggressive, said Dr. Richard Besser, ABC 草莓传媒鈥� chief health and medical editor. That form of melanoma is also most likely to go to your brain. And while Carter is 90, he鈥檚 still healthy enough to fight the disease, Besser said.
鈥淗e has led and continues to lead a very active life,鈥� he said, adding that the former president likely has the immune system of a younger person fighting the disease.
Agus commended Carter for even announcing his cancer diagnosis. Presidents and former presidents typically don鈥檛 mention their health issues, so Carter doing so is a nice step forward.
鈥淚 think there鈥檚 some merit in him doing that,鈥� Agus said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 demystifying the field and becoming a role model for others.鈥�
As for the rest of us, it鈥檚 time to get proactive.
鈥淎ll of us need to look at our skin,鈥� Agus concluded. 鈥淲e need to get naked once a month and look in the mirror. And if you start to see changes, talk to your doctor about them.鈥�
