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A lesion removed from first ladyJill Biden’s left eye was non-cancerous, according to PresidentJoe Biden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor.
Last week, O’Connor revealed in a memo that Dr. Biden, 71, hadtwo cancerous lesions removed from her right eye and chest, while “a well-circumscribed, small lesion” was also found on her left eyelid. (Doctors, O’Connor said, were able to successfully remove it and it “was sent for standard microscopic examination.")
“Dr. Biden is recovering nicely from her procedures. She experienced some anticipated mild bruising and swelling, but feels very well,” O’Connor added, while also noting that Dr. Biden does not require further treatment.
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Earlier this month, O’Connor wrote in a prior memo that Dr. Biden had"a small lesion” above her right eyeand doctors planned to remove it out of “an abundance of caution.”
After Dr. Biden had the outpatient Mohs surgery at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington, D.C., O’Connor shared in an update that the lesion was a form of basal cell carcinoma, which is themost common kind of skin cancer, per the Skin Cancer Foundation.
“All cancerous tissues was successfully removed, and the margins were clear of any residual skin cancer cells,” O’Connor said at the time.
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Doctors also found a lesion on the left side of Dr. Biden’s chest, which similarly contained basal cell carcinoma, though O’Connor said it was also “successfully removed.”
He added that lesions that have basal cell carcinoma aren’t known to “spread” like more dangerous types of skin cancer like melanoma or squamous cell carcinoma.
However, O’Connor said that they can get bigger, which can make them harder to remove.
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Dr. Biden’s surgery took place nearly a year after sheurged Americans to get cancer screeningsamid theCOVID pandemic.
In a message to the American public that was shared with PEOPLE, Dr. Biden wrote onWorld Cancer Day, “Life is hectic. There’s work, kids, parents, commuting, errands to run, a never-ending to-do list — and for the past two years we’ve been dealing with a global pandemic on top of everything else in our daily lives.”
“I get it. The last thing you have time for, or want to do, is get your cancer screenings. But today, on World Cancer Day, I’m asking you to put your health first, just for a moment,” she added. “If you’re like millions of other Americans, you may have missed a pap smear, colonoscopy, mammogram, or another critical cancer screening in the last two years of the pandemic — but cancer doesn’t stop for COVID.”
“So, if you’ve put off going to the doctor, schedule your appointment today,” Dr. Biden urged. “If you’ve put off your recommended cancer screenings, don’t delay them any longer.”
source: people.com
