Mortgage Bankers Association CEO David Stevens announced publicly Monday he had been diagnosed with cancer and fighting the disease.

Stevens made the announcement during his opening remarks at MBA's Annual Convention & Expo in Boston. The CEO did not specify what type of cancer, other than it was "an aggressive, but treatable" form.

"Today's challenge is personal to Mary (Stevens' wife), me and our family—but I am attacking this the same way I do everything else," Stevens said. "And this evil disease has a tough challenge ahead, as we intend to win this battle."

Stevens became MBA's CEO in 2011 after having spent the previous two years as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Housing overseeing the federal single and multi-family housing programs. He made no mention of how the illness might affect his leadership of the association, although he noted has always been "overly competitive and focused on trying to be the best, be number one, be the winner and create the winning team."

At the conference, MBA distributed blue Livestrong-type wristbands with the phrases "#StevensStrong" and "Beating this Beast!" on them, National Mortgage News reported. http://bit.ly/2eD4klp