Civil rights icon John Lewis diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer

Democratic Representative from Georgia John Lewis, who was one of the prominent faces of civil rights movement in the 1960s, has been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, his office said on Sunday.

The 79-year-old civil rights icon will undergo treatment for it, the office said citing CNN.

"I have been in some kind of fight -- for freedom, equality, basic human rights -- for nearly my entire life. I have never faced a fight quite like the one I have now," Lewis said in a statement.

"This month, in a routine medical visit and subsequent tests, doctors discovered stage 4 pancreatic cancer. This diagnosis has been reconfirmed," he said, adding that he is "clear-eyed" about the severity of the diagnosis.

"Doctors have told me that recent medical advances have made this type of cancer treatable in many cases, that treatment options are no longer as debilitating as they once were, and that I have a fighting chance," Lewis further said.

The Democrat leader has represented Georgia's 5th Congressional District, which includes much of Atlanta, since being first elected back in 1986.

A protege of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., Lewis had participated in the March on Washington in 1963 and played a crucial role in the civil rights movement to end legalised racial segregation in the US.

He has been bestowed with several honorary degrees and is the recipient of numerous awards from eminent national and international institutions, including the US' highest civilian honour, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

( With inputs from ANI )