Jimmy Carter says latest scan shows no cancer

Jimmy Carter, 91, US president from 1977-81, had to undergo surgery following discovery of melanoma. Picture: Getty

The former president said in a statement yesterday that he will continue to receive doses of Keytruda, a recently-approved auto-immune drug to help his body seek out cancer cells in his body.

Carter said the scan showed no signs of the original cancer “spots” or any new ones.

Carter, 91, announced in August that he had been diagnosed with melanoma that spread to his brain. Doctors removed a portion of his liver and found four small tumours on his brain.

The former president apparently shared the good news with those filling the congregation of Maranatha Baptist Church for one of his regular Sunday school lessons.

Jill Stuckey, a church member who helps organise Carter’s lessons, said yesterday that Carter told the congregation a brain scan this week showed no cancer.

Ms Stuckey said people filling the sanctuary applauded after Carter’s announcement.

“Our prayers have been answered,” she said. “I can’t think of a better Christmas present.”

American broadcaster NBC quoted Mr Carter as saying: “Went for an MRI this past week and they (doctors) didn’t find any cancer at all in the brain.”

In November Jimmy Carter said recent tests found he was responding well to treatment for cancer.

Carter’s spokeswoman Deanna Congileo also said that the former president’s doctors found no evidence of new tumours.

Carter received a radiation treatment for the tumours and also received doses of a recently approved auto-immune drug to help his body seek out and destroy cancer cells.

Also last month Carter’s doctors at Emory University’s Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta said his treatment had gone well – with no signs the cancer has spread.

President from 1977 to 1981, Mr Carter is the second-oldest living former US leader behind George H W Bush.

After leaving the White House, Mr Carter founded the Carter Centre, which focuses on human-rights efforts and political mediation.

He has remained active with the centre ever since, volunteering on a building project with Habitat for Humanity.nt.”

He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 in recognition of his “decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development”.

He is a supporter of President Obama but has been critical of his foreign policy, particularly with regard to the use of drones and Obama’s decision not to close Guantanamo Bay.