Tom Brokaw says he's beating his cancer

Tom Brokaw was back behind NBC's Today Show anchor desk Thursday, filling in for host Savannah Guthrie while she's on maternity leave.

Brokaw, who hosted the show from 1976 to 1981, was actually there to reflect on the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks but he did take a moment to provide an update on his health. And it's a positive one.

During a segment called "Ask Tom Brokaw Anything," he told the audience, "Actually I'm doing fine." He went on to say, "I've gotten some very good news in the last week. I hope that within six weeks, I can be on a drug maintenance program. The myeloma (an incurable cancer of the blood cells found in bone marrow) appears to be gone. I've got one more marker to get down, then I'll be all right."

Brokaw notes that, "I had great resources and a great family and I was in good shape going in. so I'm very conscious about what other cancer victims are going through. It doesn't always work out well. This will not go away away, but we can manage it chronically and that's all I can ask."

He went public with his diagnosis in February but has continued working since.