US President Joe Bidenhad a cancerous skin lesion from his chest last month, the White House has revealed.
The lesion removed during a routine health screaning was a basal cell carcinoma — a common form of skin cancer — his doctor said Friday, adding that no further treatment was required.
Dr Kevin O'Connor, the White House doctor who has served as Mr Biden's longtime physician, said “all cancerous tissue was successfully removed” during the president's routine physical on February 16.
Mr Biden, 80, was deemed by Dr O'Connor to be “healthy, vigorous” and “fit” to handle his White House responsibilities during that physical exam, which comes as he is weeks away from launching an expected bid for reelection in 2024.
Dr O'Connor said the site of the removal on Mr Biden's chest has “healed nicely” and the president will continue regular skin screenings as part of his routine health plan.
Basal cells are among the most common and easily treated forms of cancer — especially when caught early.
Dr O'Connor said they don't tend to spread like other cancers, but could grow in size, which is why they are removed.
Mr Biden had “several localized non-melanoma skin cancers" removed from his body before he started his presidency, Dr O'Connor said in his February 16 summary of the president's health.
The specialist noted it was well established that Mr Biden spent a lot of time in the sun during his youth.
First lady Jill Biden in January had two basal cell lesions removed from her right eye and chest.
She said in an Associated Press interview last week that she's now “extra careful” about sunscreen, especially when she’s at the beach.
Basal cell carcinoma is a slow-growing cancer that usually is confined to the surface of the skin — doctors almost always can remove it all with a shallow incision — and seldom causes serious complications or becomes life-threatening.
The Bidens have long been advocates for fighting cancer. Their adult son Beau died in 2015 from brain cancer.
During a speech on climate change in July last year, Mr Biden said he has cancer.
Speaking at the site of a former coal-fired power plant in Somerset, Massachusetts, the US President talked about growing up in Claymont, Delaware, which has many oil refineries.
He said: "You'd have to put on your windshield wipers to get literally the oil slick off the window."
He added: "That's why I — and so damn many other people I grew up with — have cancer."
At the time, the White House press office has not publicly clarified Wednesday's statement.
A White House health report stated: "It is well-established that President Biden did spend a good deal of time in the sun in his youth.
"He has had several localized, non-melanoma skin cancers removed with Mohs surgery before he started his presidency. These lesions were completely excised, with clear margins."
It added: "Total body skin exam was performed for dermatologic surveillance. Several small areas of actinic change were treated with liquid nitrogen cryotherapy, but there are no areas suspicious for skin cancer at this time. No biopsies were required."
