Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has been released from hospital after receiving his first round of chemotherapy.

A statement from the mayor’s office said that Ford was released from Mount Sinai Hospital on Tuesday afternoon, after two weeks of inpatient care.

"He has returned home, and is resting with his family at this time," the statement said.

The message from Ford's office said he wished to thank hospital staff at Mount Sinai and at Humber River Hospital, where he was initially admitted.

He also thanked the people of Toronto for the "overwhelming outpouring of support" he's received since being hospitalized.

Last Friday, Ford issued an audio statement thanking the public, saying he was about to start chemotherapy for a rare type of cancer diagnosed earlier in the week.

Ford has been diagnosed with pleomorphic liposarcoma, a type of cancer found in the soft, fatty tissues of the body.

After his first round of chemotherapy, Ford will rest for approximately two weeks before returning to Mount Sinai for a second dose.

Ford's doctor has said that he may have to undergo radiation or surgery after two rounds of chemo, but it is hoped that the treatment will shrink the tumours in the mayor's abdomen and buttock.