PHOENIX — Sen. John McCain has chosen to discontinue medical treatment for brain cancer, the Arizona senator’s family said Friday.

In a statement, McCain’s family said McCain has surpassed expectations for his survival, but “the progress of disease and the inexorable advance of age render their verdict.”

The family added: “With his usual strength of will, he has now chosen to discontinue medical treatment.”

The 81-year-old McCain is in his sixth term representing Arizona, He has been away from the Capitol since December.

Family members say they are immensely grateful for the support and kindness shown by McCain’s caregivers and for the outpouring of concern and affection by thousands of people.

My family is deeply appreciative of all the love and generosity you have shown us during this past year. Thank you for all your continued support and prayers. We could not have made it this far without you – you've given us strength to carry on. pic.twitter.com/KuAQSASoa7 </s> The Latest: Tributes for McCain as he ceases treatment

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. (all times local):

Tributes are pouring in for Arizona Sen. John McCain, with word that he's stopped medical treatment for brain cancer.

Says his wife, Cindy, in a tweet: "I love my husband with all of my heart. God bless everyone who has cared for my husband along this journey."

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey calls McCain "an American hero" who always put his country before himself and whose life has been guided by a "spirit of service and civility" that is a model for Americans regardless of political affiliation.

And Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says the McCain family is "in our prayers at this incredibly difficult hour."

Sen. John McCain's family says the Arizona senator has chosen to discontinue medical treatment for brain cancer.

In a statement, McCain's family says McCain has surpassed expectations for his survival, but "the progress of disease and the inexorable advance of age render their verdict." The family adds: "With his usual strength of will, he has now chosen to discontinue medical treatment."

The 81-year-old McCain is in his sixth term representing Arizona, He has been away from the Capitol since December.

Family members say they are immensely grateful for the support and kindness shown by McCain's caregivers and for the outpouring of concern and affection by thousands of people. </s> Arizona Sen. John McCain, a prisoner of North Vietnam for five years who served three decades in Congress and went on to become the Republican Party’s nominee for president in 2008, died Saturday at 81.

In his last hours, McCain turned down further treatment for the brain cancer he had been battling since the diagnosis in July 2017. Doctors discovered the tumor during a medical procedure to remove a blood clot from above his left eye. He remained upbeat after the diagnosis, flying back to Washington days after surgery with a large scar visible above his eye to partake in the Senate’s health-care debate.

“I greatly appreciate the outpouring of support – unfortunately for my sparring partners in Congress, I’ll be back soon, so stand-by!” McCain tweeted upon hearing the diagnosis.

On Friday, his family issued a statement saying, “Last summer, Senator John McCain shared with Americans the news our family already knew: he had been diagnosed with an aggressive glioblastoma, and the prognosis was serious. In the year since, John has surpassed expectations for his survival. But the progress of disease and the inexorable advance of age render their verdict. They added, “With his usual strength of will, he has now chosen to discontinue medical treatment.”

In a memoir published in May, McCain wrote that he hated to leave the world, but had no complaints.

“It’s been quite a ride. I’ve known great passions, seen amazing wonders, fought in a war, and helped make peace,” McCain wrote. “I’ve lived very well and I’ve been deprived of all comforts. I’ve been as lonely as a person can be and I’ve enjoyed the company of heroes. I’ve suffered the deepest despair and experienced the highest exultation. I made a small place for myself in the story of America and the history of my times.”

McCain had not been in Washington since December, leaving a vacuum in the corridors of the Senate and the television news studios he roamed for decades.

In recent months, he was not completely quiet, however, blasting President Donald Trump in a series of tweets and statements that showed that while he was ailing he had lost none of his appetite for the political fight.

The Arizona senator repeatedly made clear that he saw Trump and his America First ideology as a departure from the values and traditions of global leadership that he saw epitomized in the United States.

McCain made it clear he did not want Trump at his funeral. Former rivals and Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush had been asked to give eulogies, according to news reports.

McCain was born in 1936 in the Panama Canal Zone, where his father was stationed in the Navy. After graduating from the Naval Academy in 1958, McCain went to Vietnam.

In 1967, his A4 Skyhawk was hit by a surface-to-air missile over Hanoi. McCain was captured by the North Vietnamese, who tortured and beat him for more than five years. He was in solitary confinement for several of those years.

“My room was fairly decent-sized – I’d say about 10 by 10,” McCain would later write. “The door was solid. There were no windows. The only ventilation came from two small holes at the top in the ceiling, about 6 inches by 4 inches. The roof was tin, and it got hot as hell in there.”

His captors offered him early release after learning his father was a notable naval officer. But McCain refused to leave before the other prisoners. He was released in 1973.

McCain’s injuries from his imprisonment were visible the rest of his life, most noticeably the restricted movement of his arms.

In 1982, McCain was elected to the House of Representatives. Only a few years later, in 1986, he won the race to replace Arizona’s conservative Sen. Barry Goldwater.

He was implicated in what became known as the Keating Five Scandal in 1989, accused with several other lawmakers of helping the owner of the Lincoln Savings and Loan, who had donated to his campaign.

He was responsible for introducing then-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to a national audience by tapping her as his running mate. The McCain-Palin ticket went on to lose the general election to Barack Obama, who became the country’s first black president.

For years, McCain declined to call his choice of Palin a mistake. But in his book, “The Restless Wave,” McCain reportedly writes that he regrets not choosing his friend, then-Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman, as his running mate, calling it “another mistake that I made.” Lieberman, the 2000 Democratic nominee for vice president, was an independent who caucused with Democrats.

After the 2008 loss, McCain returned to the Senate, embracing his role as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

McCain is survived by his wife Cindy, seven children and five grandchildren. </s> US Senator John McCain has discontinued medical treatment for aggressive brain cancer, his family said today.

The Vietnam war veteran and former presidential candidate announced his prognosis a year ago.

"John has surpassed expectations for his survival," the 

 family said.

They added that the disease's progression and McCain's age, 81, had led him to stop treatment for the "aggressive 

 glioblastoma."

"With his usual strength of will, he has now chosen to 

 discontinue medical treatment," the family said.

Glioblastoma is the most aggressive form of cancer affecting the brain.

In a statement, the family said: “Last summer, Senator John McCain shared with Americans the news our family already knew: he had been diagnosed with an aggressive glioplastoma, and the prognosis was serious.

“In the year since, 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.

“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.” </s> FILE - In this June 3, 2016, file photo, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., greets the audience as he arrives to deliver a speech in Singapore. McCain, the war hero who became the GOP's standard-bearer in the 2008 election, died Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018. He was 81. less

FILE - In this June 3, 2016, file photo, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., greets the audience as he arrives to deliver a speech in Singapore. McCain, the war hero who became the GOP's standard-bearer in the 2008 ... more

President-elect Barack Obama addresses the Bipartisan Dinner honoring Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) at the Hilton Washington in Washington D.C. on Monday, Jan. 19, 2009. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune/TNS)

FILE - In this July 14, 1961, file photo, U.S. Navy Lt. John S. McCain III, left, and his parents, Rear Adm. John S. McCain Jr., right, and Roberta Wright McCain stand in front of a plaque with an image of his grandfather, Adm. John S. McCain, as the Naval Air Station Meridian McCain Field is commissioned and named in honor of Adm. McCain in Meridian, Miss. An aide says that U.S. Sen. John McCain died Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018. He was 81. (AP Photo/File) less

FILE - In this July 14, 1961, file photo, U.S. Navy Lt. John S. McCain III, left, and his parents, Rear Adm. John S. McCain Jr., right, and Roberta Wright McCain stand in front of a plaque with an image of his ... more

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) arrives with his wife, Cindy, to give his concession speech after it is announced that Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) won the presidential election, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008 in Phoenix, Ariz. (Brian Baer/Sacramento Bee/TNS) less

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) arrives with his wife, Cindy, to give his concession speech after it is announced that Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) won the presidential election, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008 in Phoenix, ... more

FILE - In this Oct. 18, 2008, file photo, Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., waves to the crowd at a campaign rally in Woodbridge, Va. Aide says senator, war hero and GOP presidential candidate McCain died Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018. He was 81. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File) less

FILE - In this Oct. 18, 2008, file photo, Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., waves to the crowd at a campaign rally in Woodbridge, Va. Aide says senator, war hero and GOP presidential ... more

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain flashes a thumbs up during a rally at The Crown Center in Fayetteville, N.C., Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2008. (Corey Lowenstein/Raleigh News & Observer/TNS)

FILE - In this Sept. 4, 2008, file photo, Republican presidential nominee John McCain embraces his mother, Roberta, following his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. Aide says senator, war hero and GOP presidential candidate McCain died Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018. He was 81. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File) less

FILE - In this Sept. 4, 2008, file photo, Republican presidential nominee John McCain embraces his mother, Roberta, following his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. Aide ... more

U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) greets military veterans at the Romney campaign office in Casselberry, Fla., Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012. McCain stumped for Romney in Florida and had a similar event scheduled for Jacksonville later in the day. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS) less

U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) greets military veterans at the Romney campaign office in Casselberry, Fla., Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012. McCain stumped for Romney in Florida and had a similar event scheduled for ... more

FILE -- In this Nov. 16, 2006, file photo Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., pauses while speaking to the GOPAC Fall Charter Meeting in Washington. McCain's family said in a statement on Aug. 24, 2018, the Arizona senator has chosen to discontinue medical treatment for brain cancer. The 81-year-old McCain has been away from the Capitol since December. McCain's face bears a scar from skin cancer surgery in 2000. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, file) less

FILE -- In this Nov. 16, 2006, file photo Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., pauses while speaking to the GOPAC Fall Charter Meeting in Washington. McCain's family said in a statement on Aug. 24, 2018, the Arizona ... more

** FILE ** In this Oct. 11, 2008 file photo, Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks at a rally in Davenport, Iowa, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008. McCain styles himself as a Teddy Roosevelt Republican, eager to be in the arena. If elected, he could be expected to pick certain issues and push them to the limit. Look for him to throw down the gauntlet in a few high-profile battles _ vetoing legislation larded with pork-barrel projects, for example. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File) less

** FILE ** In this Oct. 11, 2008 file photo, Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks at a rally in Davenport, Iowa, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008. McCain styles himself as a Teddy ... more

FILE - In this Jan. 19, 2008, file photo, Cindy McCain, wife of Republican presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., uses a cheetah hand puppet to make her husband laugh as they ride the "Straight Talk Express" campaign bus to a polling station in Charleston, S.C., on the day of South Carolina's Republican presidential primary. Arizona Sen. McCain, the war hero who became the GOP's standard-bearer in the 2008 election, has died. He was 81. His office says McCain died Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018. He had battled brain cancer. less

FILE - In this Jan. 19, 2008, file photo, Cindy McCain, wife of Republican presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., uses a cheetah hand puppet to make her husband laugh as they ride the "Straight Talk ... more

FILE - In this June 24, 1992, file photo, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., holds up an article from the Washington Times during a hearing of the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs on Capitol Hill in Washington. Arizona Sen. McCain, the war hero who became the GOP's standard-bearer in the 2008 election, has died. He was 81. His office says McCain died Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018. He had battled brain cancer. less

FILE - In this June 24, 1992, file photo, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., holds up an article from the Washington Times during a hearing of the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs on Capitol Hill in ... more

FILE - In this undated file photo provided by CBS, U.S. Navy Lt. Commander John S. McCain lies injured in North Vietnam. McCain, the war hero who became the GOP's standard-bearer in the 2008 election, died Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018. He was 81. (CBS via AP, File) less

FILE - In this undated file photo provided by CBS, U.S. Navy Lt. Commander John S. McCain lies injured in North Vietnam. McCain, the war hero who became the GOP's standard-bearer in the 2008 election, died ... more

FILE - In this June 3, 2016, file photo, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., greets the audience as he arrives to deliver a speech in Singapore. McCain, the war hero who became the GOP's standard-bearer in the 2008 election, died Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018. He was 81. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File) less

FILE - In this June 3, 2016, file photo, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., greets the audience as he arrives to deliver a speech in Singapore. McCain, the war hero who became the GOP's standard-bearer in the 2008 ... more

(FILES) In this file photo taken on February 12, 2000 backed by a portrait from his youth, Republican presidential hopeful John McCain addresses his third town hall meeting of the day at the Greer Fire Station in Greer, South Carolina. - US senator John McCain died on Saturday August 25, 2018, at 81 according to his office. (Photo by Tim SLOAN / AFP)TIM SLOAN/AFP/Getty Images less

(FILES) In this file photo taken on February 12, 2000 backed by a portrait from his youth, Republican presidential hopeful John McCain addresses his third town hall meeting of the day at the Greer Fire Station ... more

FILE - In this Nov. 3, 2008, file photo, Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks at a rally in Tampa, Fla. Aide says senator, war hero and GOP presidential candidate McCain died Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018. He was 81. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File) less

FILE - In this Nov. 3, 2008, file photo, Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks at a rally in Tampa, Fla. Aide says senator, war hero and GOP presidential candidate McCain died ... more

John McCain speaks with loyal followers at the Concord Chamber of Commerce breakfast in Concord, N.H., talking mostly about the war in Iraq and about global terror on July 13, 2007. McCain made his first appearance on the trail since shaking up his presidential campaign by replacing his campaign manager and laying off several staffers. (Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times/TNS) less

John McCain speaks with loyal followers at the Concord Chamber of Commerce breakfast in Concord, N.H., talking mostly about the war in Iraq and about global terror on July 13, 2007. McCain made his first ... more

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the death of Sen. John McCain (all times local):

Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen Pence, are offering condolences to the family of Arizona Sen. John McCain following the senator's death.

Pence says on Twitter that we "honor his lifetime of service to this nation in our military and in public life." Pence says McCain's family and friends will be in their prayers, adding, "God bless John McCain."

Pence tweeted his condolences after President Donald Trump offered his "deepest sympathies and respect" to McCain's family. Trump has had a strained relationship with the Republican senator since the president questioned whether McCain was a war hero.

McCain died at home Saturday after battling brain cancer for more than a year.

On Saturday night, a black hearse accompanied by multiple Arizona State Police vehicles could be seen driving in procession away from McCain's ranch near Sedona.

The patrol vehicles drove slowly down the gravel roadway with lights flashing. The procession then headed toward Phoenix.

Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are paying tribute to Sen. John McCain as a "skilled, tough politician" who often set aside partisanship "to do what he thought was best for the country."

The Clintons say in a statement after McCain's death that the Arizona senator "believed that every citizen has a responsibility to make something of the freedoms given by our Constitution."

Bill Clinton says he is grateful to McCain for his leadership in helping the U.S. normalize relations with Vietnam during his presidency. McCain was a prisoner of war in Vietnam for more than five years.

McCain served alongside Hillary Clinton in the Senate. The Clintons say McCain was "never afraid to break the mold if it was the right thing to do."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell asked Republicans in his home state for a moment of silence to remember Sen. John McCain just before lamenting the practical reality that he "needs more votes" in light of a confirmation fight with Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

McConnell announced McCain's death to a few hundred people at the Republican Party of Kentucky's annual Lincoln Dinner on Saturday night in Lexington. He asked for a moment of silence "in memory of his outstanding life."

McConnell noted that McCain's absence from the Senate has shrunk his majority to 50-49. He said the biggest question he has had to face over the last few months is whether anyone had to go to a funeral. He later called McCain a "unique American" who made "every tense moment come out better."

Former President Barack Obama is paying tribute to Arizona Sen. John McCain following the death of his 2008 presidential rival. Obama says despite their differences, they shared a "fidelity to something higher - the ideals for which generations of Americans and immigrants alike have fought, marched, and sacrificed."

Obama says in a statement that the two political opponents "saw our political battles, even, as a privilege, something noble, an opportunity to serve as stewards of those high ideals at home, and to advance them around the world."

Obama writes that they "saw this country as a place where anything is possible - and citizenship as our patriotic obligation to ensure it forever remains that way."

Former President George W. Bush is calling Arizona Sen. John McCain, his one-time political rival, a "man of deep conviction and a patriot of the highest order."

Bush says in a statement that McCain was a "public servant in the finest traditions of our country" and is calling him a "friend whom I'll deeply miss."

McCain died Saturday at the age of 81 after battling brain cancer for more than a year.

Bush defeated McCain in a hard fought Republican presidential campaign in 2000 and later backed McCain's unsuccessful campaign to succeed him eight years later.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has released a statement calling Sen. John McCain a "giant," an "icon" and an "American hero."

McCain was elected to the U.S. Senate from Arizona six times.

Ducey says McCain was an American who will never be forgotten, and he was proud to call him a fellow Arizonan. The Republican governor says McCain's "spirit, service and fierce independence shaped the state with which he became synonymous."

Ducey recalled that the senator always fought for what he thought was right, even when it wasn't popular. He says McCain's "dogged patriotism and passion for country" made him an inspiration.

The governor added that he hopes McCain's legacy will continue to inspire Americans to build a future that would make him proud.

President Donald Trump is offering his "deepest sympathies and respect" to the family of Arizona Sen. John McCain following the senator's death.

The president's statement comes after the two Republican leaders maintained a strained relationship since Trump suggested in 2015 the Vietnam veteran and prisoner of war was not a war hero.

Trump says on Twitter, "Our hearts and prayers are with you!"

McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, died Saturday at the age of 81 after battling brain cancer for more than a year.

Trump has frequently criticized McCain for voting against a 2017 plan in the Senate to replace the so-called Obamacare law.

Arizona Sen. John McCain, the war hero who became the GOP's standard-bearer in the 2008 election, has died. He was 81.

His office says McCain died Saturday. He had battled brain cancer.

In 1967, his plane was shot down on a bombing mission over North Vietnam. He was severely injured and spent more than five years as a prisoner of war.

He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1982 and the Senate in 1986. A conservative on most issues, he pushed for campaign finance reform and the effort to account for those missing in Vietnam.

He ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000, then won it in 2008. But he and running mate Sarah Palin lost to Barack Obama. </s> John McCain, the Arizona senator and former Republican presidential candidate, has been diagnosed with brain cancer.

A brain tumor known as a glioblastoma was removed from McCain along with a blood clot in a surgery at the Mayo Clinic on Friday, a spokesperson said on Wednesday.

McCain's office had only previously announced that the blood clot had been removed from above the 80-year-old's left eye.

The Mayo Clinic said in a statement released by McCain's office: “The senator and his family are reviewing further treatment options with his Mayo Clinic care team. Treatment options may include a combination of chemotherapy and radiation. The senator's doctors say he is recovering from his surgery 'amazingly well' and his underlying health is excellent.”

The surgery had forced McCain to stay in Arizona this week and miss votes in the Senate. It had led to a delay in the vote on the Senate Republican bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which was originally scheduled for Monday. Since the delay was announced, a sufficient number of Republican senators came forward to express their opposition to the bill and forced the majority leader, Mitch McConnell, to shelve it and instead try to push a vote on a clean repeal of the ACA.

In a statement, the Arizona senator's spokesperson said that “in the aftermath of his diagnosis, further consultations with [the] Mayo Clinic care team will indicate when he will return to the United States Senate”.

An extended absence would likely make it even more difficult for Republicans to repeal or replace the ACA, popularly known as Obamacare. Senate Republicans have a narrow 52-48 majority and, with the tie-breaking vote of Mike Pence, can only afford to lose two votes if McCain is present. His absence means that two Republican “no” votes would now sink any legislation if all 48 Democrats are unified in opposition.

McCain, who was re-elected to his sixth term in the Senate in 2016, was the Republican party's presidential nominee in 2008 and finished second to George W Bush in the 2000 GOP presidential primary. Prior to his career in politics, McCain served as an aviator in the US navy, and was held as prisoner of war for five and a half years during the Vietnam war. While being held captive by the north Vietnamese, McCain was repeatedly subjected to torture. He retired as a captain after earning a number of decorations including the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

The Arizona senator's illness sparked an outpouring of support from both sides of the aisle.

In a statement, Donald Trump said: “Senator John McCain has always been a fighter. Melania and I send our thoughts and prayers to Senator McCain, Cindy, and their entire family. Get well soon.” Trump, who famously set off a political firestorm in 2015 by saying McCain was “not a war hero”, said earlier in the week of the Arizona senator: “We hope John McCain gets better very soon because we miss him. He's a crusty voice in Washington. Plus we need his vote. And he'll be back.”

Barack Obama, against whom McCain ran in the 2008 presidential election, tweeted: “John McCain is an American hero & one of the bravest fighters I've ever known. Cancer doesn't know what it's up against. Give it hell, John.”

Barack Obama (@BarackObama)

John McCain is an American hero & one of the bravest fighters I’ve ever known. Cancer doesn’t know what it’s up against. Give it hell, John.

July 20, 2017 

A number of McCain's colleagues in the Senate also expressed their well wishes. In a statement, Mitch McConnell said: “John McCain is a hero to our Conference and a hero to our country. He has never shied from a fight and I know that he will face this challenge with the same extraordinary courage that has characterized his life. The entire Senate family's prayers are with John, Cindy and his family, his staff, and the people of Arizona he represents so well. We all look forward to seeing this American hero again soon.”

Outside a meeting of Senate Republicans to discuss healthcare reform on Wednesday night, senator John Hoeven of North Dakota said they had learned of the diagnosis during the meeting.

“It was very emotional – almost kind of stunned disbelief,” Hoeven told reporters. Senator James Lankford, of Oklahoma, then led them in prayer.

Hoeven said the senators had received a message from McCain via South Carolina senator Lindsay Graham, a close friend. The senator told them he was eager to “get back and get to work”, Hoeven added.

Graham was visibly emotional as he recalled his conversation with McCain when he learned of the diagnosis.

“He says, 'I've been through worse',” Graham told reporters. Five minutes into the call, however, McCain wanted to talk the legislative priories, Graham said.

“God knows how this ends,” he said. “But I do know this: This disease has never had a more worthy opponent.”

In a statement, McCain's daughter Meghan said: “He is a warrior at dusk, one of the greatest Americans of our age, and the worthy heir to his father's and grandfather's name. But to me, he is something more. He is my strength, my example, my refuge, my confidante, my teacher, my rock, my hero – my Dad.” </s> Arizona Sen. John McCain has discontinued medical treatment for an aggressive form of brain cancer, his family says.

It's a likely indication that the war hero, onetime presidential nominee and longtime lawmaker is nearing the end of his life.

The 81-year-old McCain has surpassed expectations for survival, but "the progress of disease and the inexorable advance of age render their verdict," the family said in a statement. "With his usual strength of will, he has now chosen to discontinue medical treatment."

The six-term GOP senator, whose birthday is Aug. 29, has been away from the Capitol since last December.

McCain's wife, Cindy, said in a tweet Saturday that the McCain family was "overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from around the world" after Friday's announcement.

Among those offering support is Vice President Mike Pence, who tweeted Saturday night: "Karen and I are praying for Senator John McCain, Cindy and their family this weekend. May God bless them all during this difficult time."

If McCain should resign his seat or die soon, Republican Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey would name a replacement to serve until the 2020 election. The winner of that election would serve the remainder of McCain's term through 2022.

In more than three decades in Congress, McCain became known as a political maverick willing to stick to his convictions rather than go along with party leaders — an independent streak that has drawn a mix of respect and ire.

Most recently, he has been a thorn in the side of President Donald Trump, keeping up his criticism of the White House even while undergoing severe medical treatment in Arizona.

In July, he issued a searing rebuke of Trump's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling it a "tragic mistake" and "one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory."

The strained relationship between Trump and McCain dates back to 2015, when Trump suggested the Vietnam veteran, who spent more than five years in a North Vietnamese prison after his Navy plane was shot down, was not a war hero.

The ill will grew after McCain voted in 2017 against a Republican replacement for the Obama-era health law. He doomed the bill with a dramatic thumbs-down on the Senate floor. Complaints about McCain's vote have become a staple of Trump's campaign speeches. He doesn't mention McCain by name but makes clear his intent by mockingly imitating the thumbs-down gesture.

The feud between the two men has persisted even amid the decline in McCain's health. While political leaders of both parties paid tribute to McCain and offered prayers Friday, Trump and the White House remained silent. Trump did not mention McCain or the health care vote in a speech Friday night at a fundraising dinner in Ohio.

Earlier this month, Trump signed a military policy bill named for McCain, but he made no mention of McCain at a signing ceremony.

The son and grandson of Navy admirals, McCain is a former Navy pilot. He was elected to Congress in 1982 and to the Senate four years later, replacing the retired Barry Goldwater.

Despite his famous stubborn streak and occasional orneriness, McCain is widely admired on both sides of the aisle, and tributes poured in Friday after the family announced the treatment decision.

"We are so fortunate to call him our friend and colleague," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Twitter. "The entire McCain family are in our prayers at this incredibly difficult hour.;;

Ducey called McCain "an American hero" who always put his country before himself.

A "spirt of service and civility" guided McCain's life, standing as a model for Americans regardless of political affiliation, Ducey said.

McCain had surgery in July 2017 to remove a blood clot in his brain after being diagnosed with an aggressive tumor called a glioblastoma. It's the same type of tumor that killed Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., at age 77 in 2009.

McCain rebounded quickly, however, returning to Washington and entering the Senate in late July to a standing ovation from his colleagues. In a dramatic turn, he later cast the deciding vote against the Republican health care bill, earning Trump's enduring wrath.

McCain's condition worsened last fall, and he has been in Arizona since December. A source close to McCain who asked not to be identified said Friday the senator was at his Arizona ranch with his family.

He is a long-term survivor of melanoma, a deadly skin cancer. But doctors classified his brain cancer as a "primary tumor," meaning it's not related to his former malignancies.

McCain ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000, then won it in 2008 before losing the general election to Obama.

When Republicans took control of the Senate in 2015, McCain embraced his new influence as chairman of the Armed Services Committee, pushing for aggressive U.S. military intervention overseas and eager to contribute to "defeating the forces of radical Islam that want to destroy America."

Asked how he wanted to be remembered, McCain said: "That I made a major contribution to the defense of the nation."

Former Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman, a close friend, said Friday that "becoming John McCain's friend has been one of the great blessings of my life. Today I am praying for him and his family."

Mitt Romney, the GOP's 2012 presidential nominee, said on Twitter, "No man this century better exemplifies honor, patriotism, service, sacrifice and country first than Senator John McCain. His heroism inspires, his life shapes our character. I am blessed and humbled by our friendship."

Associated Press writer Laurie Kellman contributed to this report. </s> Sen. John McCain, who has battled a deadly form of brain cancer for more than a year, is ending medical treatment, his office said in a statement Friday.

The six-term senator from Arizona and 2008 Republican presidential nominee has been battling the cancer, known as glioblastoma, from his home near Sedona since December. His family and a team of caregivers have cared for McCain, 81, ever since.

"Last summer, Senator John McCain shared with Americans the news our family already knew: he had been diagnosed with an aggressive glioblastoma, and the prognosis was serious," the statement said. "In the year since, 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. 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."

More: Meghan McCain says dad John McCain is 'hanging in'

More: Meghan McCain on her dad: 'I’m scared of America without him'

McCain has continued his Senate duties as much as he could from his family home in northern Arizona, 2,200 miles away from Washington, D.C. There, he occasionally weighed in on policy and media reports via Twitter, issued official written statements as he deems necessary and receives staff briefings.

However, McCain could not cast Senate votes by proxy or in absentia.

The senator's wife, Cindy, expressed her gratitude for those who have helped in her husband's treatment. They have been married for 37 years.

"I love my husband with all of my heart," she wrote on Twitter. "God bless everyone who has cared for my husband along this journey."

McCain's daughter, Meghan, also thanked supporters for the "love and generosity" they have shown her family over the past year.

"We could not have made it this far without you – you've given us strength to carry on."

Family and friends have visited McCain and his wife Cindy at their Arizona home, including former Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and other friends and associates who have worked on his various campaigns. </s> WASHINGTON — Friends, family and former presidents will gather at Washington National Cathedral on Saturday to honor the life of the late Sen. John McCain.

The ceremony will feature tributes from Republican former President George W. Bush, who prevailed over McCain in the race for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000, and Democratic former President Barack Obama, who ran against McCain in the 2008 presidential election and won.

The remarks from former Democratic and Republican presidents who were once rivals to McCain will send an unmistakable message of unity and bipartisanship at a time when Washington is deeply divided.

McCain, who died at the age of 81 last Saturday after a lengthy battle with brain cancer, was an iconic figure in US politics. The Arizona Republican leaves behind a storied legacy of serving his country in Congress and in the military as a naval pilot.

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Meghan McCain, one of the late senator’s daughters, are also on the list of those slated to speak at Saturday’s memorial service.

Democratic former Vice President Joe Biden, who delivered an emotional eulogy for McCain at a memorial service in Arizona on Thursday, will serve as a pallbearer on Saturday.

Actor Warren Beatty, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin and former chief of staff to McCain Mark Salter will also serve as pallbearers, among others.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close friend of McCain’s, and McCain’s children Jimmy and Sidney McCain will take part in the ceremony as well.

While two former presidents will speak in honor of McCain, the current President will be notably absent.

CNN has previously reported that McCain did not want President Donald Trump to attend his funeral and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who was McCain’s running mate in the 2008 presidential election, was not invited to any of the memorial services.

Saturday’s service is scheduled to start at 10 am ET.

The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, will deliver a blessing during the service.

The service at Washington National Cathedral is one of several events honoring McCain’s life this week.

On Thursday, a memorial service was held in Phoenix and on Friday, a ceremony was held in the US Capitol, where McCain’s body was lying in state. On Sunday, a private service will take place at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and then his body will be laid to rest in the US Naval Academy Cemetery.
U.S. Senator and 2008 presidential nominee John McCain (R–AZ) dies at the age of 81.