Thomas M. Menino, former mayor of Boston, undergoes cancer treatment, says 'we'll get through this'

Thomas M. Menino, former Boston mayor, has been diagnosed and is currently being treated for advanced cancer, but is positive that "We'll get through this," he told The Boston Globe.

Menino, 71, has an advanced form of cancer of unknown origin that has spread to his liver and lymph nodes.

His primary care physician, Dr. Charles A. Morris, discovered the metastasized cancer in early February when Morris examined Menino's back because of chronic weakness in his legs.

"They did a scan and Morris called me and said, 'You have to come see me.' He was more shaken up than I was," Menino said.

The former mayor started an intravenous chemotherapy regimen in early March at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He is expected to have three more chemo sessions at two-week intervals. Surgery is currently not an option.

Doctors have yet to find the source of the cancer, meaning Menino falls into the 3 or 4 percent of cancer patients whose disease cannot be pinpointed.

"My attitude really is, we'll get through it," Menino said. "We got through the [illnesses in 2012], we'll get through this. I have great doctors and supportive friends."

The mayor of 20 years, who retired last year, suffered a string of medical problems - a respiratory infection and a blood clot - in 2012. Then, during his eight weeks in the hospital, he suffered a compression fracture and was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

This is also not Menino's first stint with cancer. In 2003, he underwent two surgeries to remove a rare sarcoma on his back. Then, just two years ago, he had minor surgery to remove a cancerous growth from his nose - basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer.

"It's very simple. I was diagnosed," Menino said. "I've got treatment coming. I believe I'll get through it. And I'll be at work Monday morning."

He's now working as co-director of Boston University's Initiative on Cities.