Retired U.S. Sen. Bob Dole diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer

Retired American politician Bob Dole announced that he has been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.

Dole represented Kansas in the U.S. Senate from 1969 to 1996.

The announcement was made on Twitter Thursday morning.

[TRENDING: Plan to track COVID-19 variant | NASA prepares to land Mars rover | REWATCH: Town hall on race, obstacles, opportunities]

According to the status update, Dole will go for his first treatment on Monday.

“While I certainly have some hurdles ahead, I also know that I join millions of Americans who face significant health challenges of their own,” Dole said.

According to health officials, more than 200,000 cases of lung cancer are diagnosed every year in the U.S.