As Cancer Treatment Begins, Carter to Scale Back on Work

Former President Jimmy Carter says he'll focus on his cancer treatment, faith and family in the coming weeks.

Carter on Thursday discussed his recent melanoma diagnosis for the first time in public, saying he would receive radiation therapy for four small tumors on his brain and injections of a newly approved drug to help his immune system find and destroy cancer cells.

Carter says he's looking forward to birthday celebrations on Saturday for his wife, Rosalynn, in the couple's hometown of Plains, Georgia. He also plans on teaching Sunday School at their small church. As much as he's able, Carter says he'll also continue teaching at Emory University in Atlanta and raising money for the Carter Center.

Carter will turn 91 on Oct. 1.