As cancer treatment begins, Carter to scale back on work

ATLANTA (AP) — Former President Jimmy Carter is stepping back from most of his humanitarian work and surrounding himself with family as doctors target the skin cancer that showed up in his liver and brain.

The former president was relentlessly upbeat Thursday, making jokes and flashing his wide smile during a detailed, 45-minute news conference about his melanoma diagnosis and treatment.

The day before, he received his first dose of a recently approved drug to help his immune system seek out and destroy cancer cells that may develop anywhere else in his body.

Doctors told Carter they had completely removed cancer from his liver, but then an MRI exam showed the spots on his brain.

Doctors found a spot on his liver during a follow-up exam, but he wanted to complete a book tour before the surgery, and only told others about the diagnosis once it was certain.

Carter served in submarines in the Navy and spent years as a peanut farmer before running for office, becoming a state senator and Georgia governor.

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.