President of the United States Joe Biden delivers the State of the Nation Address (Reuters)
President Joe Biden will not need "further treatment" after a lesion removed from his chest last month during an annual checkup was identified as basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer, the White House doctor said.
Last weekend, the doctor said in a memo he released to the press office that a biopsy "confirmed that the small lesion" removed from President Biden's chest "was basal cell carcinoma."
According to Dr. O'Connor, "all the cancerous tissue was successfully removed," and the president will not need to undergo further treatment.
In a letter released by the White House on Friday, the White House physician also noted that, unlike more aggressive forms of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma lesions do not spread along the way. All, and that the site of the biopsy "healed nicely." Later, Dr. O'Connor said that the president "will continue dermatological follow-ups as part of his ongoing comprehensive health care."
What is basal cell carcinoma?
Carcinoma is the least known skin cancer compared to the well-known but more common melanoma.
This is the most common type of cancer that is fortunately not fatal.
This skin cancer is divided into two main types depending on the type of cell it originates from: 1. Basal cell cancer (BCC) - known as basal cell carcinoma 2. Squamous cell cancer (SCC) - which develops from oily (actinic) keratosis, which are precancerous tumors.
These cancerous tumors are diagnosed among about 10,000 people every year in Israel and are most common in parts of the body that are more exposed to the sun (like the face) and among light-skinned people.
The most common risk factor for this type of cancer is increased exposure to the sun's rays.
Most of the patients are in their fifth decade or older, and its incidence is slightly higher in men than in women.
A very common and non-fatal type of cancer (Photo: ShutterStock)
How do you detect and treat?
The discovery is made through a diagnosis by a dermatologist, usually after the patient has noticed various spots or bumps on the skin that do not go away.
The emphasis is on people over the age of 45, and those who were previously exposed to the sun without sufficient protection.
The treatments for pre-cancerous lesions are simpler and include the use of ointments for local application, burning with liquid nitrogen and photodynamic therapy.
When a cancerous tumor is already present, surgical removal of the tumor is usually performed and sometimes radiation and chemotherapy treatments are used, depending on the level of severity.
In most cases, the appearance is of several lesions, where a large amount of lesions increases the risk of developing cancer.
Also, there is a high risk of recurrence and appearance of the tumors in nearby places.
In the minority of cases (less than 1 percent) the cancer becomes violent and life-threatening.
In the last decade, special biological drugs have been developed that are effective in advanced cases of BCC.
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