NBC News staple Tom Brokaw made the difficult announcement that he is battling cancer. The news was released by NBC on Tuesday evening.

Tom Brokaw, Golden Globes Press Room
Brokaw has continued working alongside his treatment.

Brokaw’s cancer is a rare type, which attacks white blood cells in bone marrow. The disease is called multiple myeloma. The newsman, whose career at NBC spans almost five decades, was first diagnosed last summer at the Mayo clinic, but the doctors have made it clear that the newscaster has made good progress against the disease since then. Like most other types of cancer, there is now cure for Brokaw’s disease, however the cancer can be reduced through treatment. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are a number of options, including chemotherapy and other anti-cancer drugs, corticosteroids, stem cell transplantation and radiation. Bone pain and fatigue are common symptoms of the disease.

Tom Brokaw, Comedy Festival
The cancer is treatable, but not curable.

With treatment, patients can return to near-normal activity. In any case, Brokaw doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. The NBC newsman is currently working as a special correspondent contributing to the network's coverage of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

In a personal statement released by NBC News, Brokaw said: "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. I remain the luckiest guy I know. I am very grateful for the interest in my condition, but I also hope everyone understands I wish to keep this a private matter."

Tom Brokaw, Today Show
 Brokaw has urged the public to respect his privacy during this difficult time.