On Friday, President Biden’s doctor revealed that the lesion taken out from his chest last month was a common form of skin cancer. It’s a highly treatable cancer called basal cell carcinoma, CNN reports.
Dr. Kevin O’Connor indicated in a letter to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre that the lesion was extracted and biopsied, with the results confirming it was basal cell carcinoma just as anticipated. “All cancerous tissue was successfully removed,” O’Connor added. Going forward, President Biden will continue to monitor his skin closely. According to Biden’s doctor, no more medical attention is necessary at this time.
O’Connor shared that the area where they had excised the lesion was healing nicely. “Basal cell carcinoma lesions do not tend to ‘spread’ or metastasize,” he added. “[Like] some more serious skin cancers such as melanoma or squamous cell carcinoma are known to do.”
At his annual physical in February, Biden had a lesion extracted that was then sent to the lab for examination. The White House promptly disclosed this information and announced the removal of the lesion.
Back in February, President Biden’s doctor said he was fit for duty
Earlier this year, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden had a procedure to have similar lesions removed. A letter issued by O’Connor in January noted that the lesion located above her right eye was discovered during a standard skin cancer exam and required Mohs surgery for removal and analysis.
“The procedure confirmed the small lesion was basal cell carcinoma,” O’Connor explained at the time. “All cancerous tissue was successfully removed, and the margins were clear of any residual skin cancer cells.” During his pre-operative consultation, O’Connor pointed out that “an additional area of concern was identified on the left side of the first lady’s chest.” To address the issue in this region, Mohs surgery was employed.
In February, O’Connor told the public that after his physical, President Biden remains in a healthy and vigorous state. He also said Biden was “fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency.”
Upon inspection, the president’s ophthalmoscopic, auditory, and nasal examinations along with his neurological evaluation were found to be normal. Furthermore, this exhaustive neurologic assessment yielded no results that could point to a stroke or Parkinson’s disease.
Biden required custom orthotics for his gait
Biden is still suffering from a gait, leading his physicians to recommend custom orthotics for assistance. In spite of this challenge, he remains dedicated to working out five days per week. O’Connor’s report was likely the final health exam prior to Biden making his reelection plans public in the near future.
Basal cell carcinoma of the skin is one of the most common cancers in America. With early detection, it’s highly treatable. Not only can these cancers be seen as scaly patches, but also may develop into ulcers or sores which are often large and can be deadly. In certain cases, they metastasize to internal organs leading to death.
