On December 29, 2024, James Earl “Jimmy” Carter, the 39th president of the United States, passed away at home, under hospice care, at the age of 100. Carter, well-known for his public service and humanitarian work, was the longest-lived president in U.S. history. During the final decade of his life, the former president faced numerous health issues, including a battle with stage IV melanoma.
In August 2015, Carter, then 90 years old, revealed that he had been diagnosed with melanoma that had spread to his liver and brain. Despite the severity of his diagnosis, Carter overcame melanoma within a few short months. His remarkable journey introduced the world to the promise of immunotherapy for patients with advanced skin cancers.
About Advanced Melanoma
Melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer that begins in cells known as melanocytes. While it is less common than basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma is more dangerous because of its ability to spread if it is not treated at an early stage.
Stage IV melanoma is an advanced form of the disease that has spread beyond the original tumor site to distant organs. At the time of Carter’s diagnosis in 2015, the five-year survival rate for a person with stage IV melanoma was just 16 percent.
New Treatment, New Hope
Immediately after his diagnosis, Carter underwent treatment, including surgery, radiation and several rounds of pembrolizumab (Keytruda), a new immunotherapy drug approved by the FDA for treating advanced melanoma. Immunotherapies stimulate a patient’s own immune system to destroy cancer cells, by using synthetic versions of natural immune system chemicals, or by inhibiting proteins that block immune functions.
Carter himself stated that at the time, he thought he had just weeks left to live. But after a few months of immunotherapy, scans showed no evidence of disease anywhere in his body. In December 2015, Carter announced that he was cancer-free.
His remarkable recovery shed light on the effectiveness of immunotherapy, bringing hope to patients who previously had few options. The treatment that helped prolong the former president’s life became widely known as “the Jimmy Carter drug.”
Since 2015, many new immunotherapy treatments for advanced melanoma have been approved by the FDA. These treatments are effective when used alone or in combinations, and have had unprecedented success in improving quality of life and survival rates for patients.
A Legacy of Caring
Beyond his presidency, Carter is celebrated for his extensive humanitarian work, including his years of service with Habitat for Humanity. In 1982, he and his wife, Rosalynn, founded The Carter Center, a nonprofit organization working in more than 80 countries to promote peace, democracy, health and mental health.
Carter’s fight against melanoma added to his legacy, by raising awareness and demonstrating that even in the face of dire illness, innovative treatments can lead to life-changing results.
More About Melanoma
Melanoma Warning Signs and Images
Skin Cancer Treatment Glossary
