A biopsy has confirmed that the skin lesion removed from President Joe Biden as part of a comprehensive health assessment was basal cell carcinoma.
The White House physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, confirmed in a letter that the lesion was found on Biden's chest and that on Feb. 16, “all cancerous tissue was successfully removed.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, basal cell carcinoma is a type of skin cancer that can appear as a transparent bump on the skin. Most basal cell carcinomas — which originate in the cells that produce new skin cells as others die off — occur in areas of the skin that receive higher exposure to the sun.
In his note, Dr. O’Connor underlined that basal cell carcinomas do not "tend to spread or metastasize" but do have the potential to increase in size.
“The site of the biopsy has healed nicely and the president will continue dermatologic surveillance as part of his ongoing comprehensive healthcare,” O’Connor said in his statement.
In January, the president’s wife, first lady Jill Biden, had two cancerous lesions removed from the area above her right eye and the left side of her chest. Dr. O’Connor also performed the procedure — called Mohs surgery — in order to remove the lesions, which were confirmed to be basal cell carcinoma.
“All cancerous tissue was successfully removed,” he confirmed in a letter at the time that was made public.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of cancer worldwide. It is estimated that 2 million Americans are diagnosed with it every year. While basal cell carcinoma can occur in people of color, it is more likely to be found in people with fair skin and those who do not take the proper measures to protect their skin from the sun.
