Former President Jimmy Carter Says He Has Cancer

Former President Jimmy Carter said Wednesday that he has cancer and will be undergoing treatment in Atlanta.

"Recent liver surgery revealed that I have cancer that now is in other parts of my body. I will be rearranging my schedule as necessary so I can undergo treatment by physicians at Emory Healthcare. A more complete public statement will be made when facts are known, possibly next week," the former president said in a statement through his foundation, The Carter Center.

He had surgery earlier this month to remove a small mass in his liver at Emory University Hospital in a procedure that his spokeswoman, Deanna Congileo, said was "elective." At the time, she said, "prognosis is excellent for a full recovery."

Carter, who is 90, was the 39th president of the United States and the nation's second-oldest living president. Since he left the Oval Office, he established the Carter Foundation and has traveled the world working on issues like healthcare and global democracy.

He recently finished a book tour to promote "A Full Life: Reflections at 90," his latest work. He has written more than 20 books since leaving office. (CBSNews.com and Simon & Schuster are both part of the CBS Corporation)

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