Veteran TV newsman TOM BROKAW has cancer, NBC News confirmed.
Brokaw has multiple myeloma, a cancer affecting blood cells in the bone marrow, that The Mayo Clinic discovered last summer. His doctors are optimistic about his treatment and encouraged by his progress since the August diagnosis, the network division said.
Brokaw his career with NBC News in its Los Angeles bureau in 1966, later serving as its White House correspondent during the Watergate scandal er abefore becoming anchor of "NBC Nightly News" in 1983.
Brokaw, 74, said he is grateful for the interest in his health but wants to keep it a private matter.
With the exceptional support of my family, medical team and friends, I am very optimistic about the future and look forward to continuing my life, my work and adventures still to come," he said issued by the Peacock net.
Brokaw said he remains, in his words, "the luckiest guy I know."
Brolkaw, now an NBC News special correspondent, has continued to work on projects during his treatment and is contributing to NBC Sports coverage of the Winter Olympics, NBC said.
Brokaw is the author of several books including "The Greatest Generation".
