Joe Biden’s White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor has released a new report confirming that the president has undergone treatment for skin cancer and “all cancerous tissue was successfully removed.”
President Biden just completed his annual physical two weeks ago, as part of his position as the President of the United States, and was unsurprisingly cleared with a positive, clean bill of health. O’Connor’s report reads that President Biden is a “healthy, vigorous, 80-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency.”
The White House physician’s report did make note of “One small lesion on the President’s chest was excised today and sent for traditional biopsy. Results are pending.”
Today, Dr. O’Connor released an update to the White House containing the results of the aforementioned biopsy, which showed that the lesion was indeed cancerous, however, the president was given preemptive treatment that was wholly successful and remains cleared of all health problems:
MEMORANDUM FOR: KARINE JEAN-PIERRE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY
FROM: KEVIN C. O’CONNOR, D.O., FAAFP PHYSICIAN TO THE PRESIDENT
SUBJECT: President Biden’s 16 February 2023 Dermatologic Procedure
1. On 16 February, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the President had a skin lesion removed from his chest as part of his comprehensive health assessment. This tissue was sent for traditional biopsy.
2. As expected, the biopsy confirmed that the small lesion was basal cell carcinoma. All cancerous tissue was successfully removed. The area around the biopsy site was treated presumptively with electrodessication and curettage at the time of biopsy. No further treatment is required.
3. Basal cell carcinoma lesions do not tend to “spread” or metastasize, as some more serious skin cancers such as melanoma or squamous cell carcinoma are known to do. They do, however, have the potential to increase in size, resulting in a more significant issue as well as increased challenges for surgical removal.
4. The site of the biopsy has healed nicely and the President will continue dermatologic surveillance as part of his ongoing comprehensive healthcare.
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The full letter released by the Biden White House can be found here.
Featured image via Flickr/Gage Skidmore, under Creative Commons license 2.0
