The results from a biopsy done on a skin lesion removed from President Biden's chest last month confirmed that the growth was basal cell carcinoma – a type of skin cancer that does not tend to spread — White House physician Kevin O'Connor said in a memo on Friday.
"All cancerous tissue was successfully removed," O'Connor said in his memo, noting that the area around the biopsy site had been treated at the time of Biden's physical, meaning that no further treatment is required. He said the biopsy site had "healed nicely."
O'Connor said basal cell carcinoma does not metastasize, making it is a "less serious" type of skin cancer than melanoma or squamous cell carcinoma. But basal cell carcinoma can increase in size, making it harder to remove, he said.
First lady Jill Biden also had two lesions removed early this year that were confirmed to be basal cell carcinoma.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDAwMTM1NDgzMDEyMzg2MDcwMzJjODJiYQ004))